Letters From Chloe
by writingforchocolate
Summary: Season 2 Divergence. It starts with something simple; it changes everyone's world. Chloé doesn't like the person she's been, and wants to try and change. Who better to start with than her nemesis, Marinette Dupain-Cheng? She doesn't want to screw it up, so she decides to write Marinette a letter. How hard could writing a little letter possibly be? Crosspost from AO3. Very Chlonette
1. The Twelfth

_Dear Marinette,_

 _This letter is a mess, but it's the twelfth time I've tried to write this, so I'll ask you to indulge me. My therapist asked me to write this letter to you. Actually, she's been asking me to do it for the last few months, but I wasn't ready to do so before now. And now I am, or I think I am, so I suppose I should get on with it._

 _First off, yes, I've been in therapy. I have been for a while now. I started about a month after the Anti-bug incident. I don't know if you have ever talked to any of the akuma victims in our class –I think you're one of the only people in our class who hasn't been turned, which says volumes about your patience with me -about their time as akuma. When a victim comes out of the akuma state, they don't remember much. No, the memories come later, in your dreams, hazy nightmare images of you selling a piece of your soul. Mylène has it pretty bad, and Sabrina – well, she was the one that suggested to me that I should get into therapy, because it helped her. And yes, mlle. class president, I have her permission to tell you that. So I'm not betraying her trust, or anything like that. Yes, we covered that kind of thing in my therapy too._

 _The point is that when I began to remember my time as an akuma…_

 _Look, this is really hard, so I have to talk around it a bit, to give you a bit of background. I was angry a lot, then. I was angry at my father, at you, at school. I was angry at the whole damn world, for the things that were out of my control that I most wanted to be able to control. I was angry at my mother, I wanted her to give a damn about me as something other than some kind of walking parenting trophy. 'Look, I had a child, now I can check that box off, and I can gallivant around the world while leaving her with her father and a building full of domestics'. I was angry at Ladybug for being better than I could ever hope to be, even as I loved her for how amazing she was. I was angry with myself, at some of the things I did, but I didn't know how to face that, or even admit to it. So when Papillion spoke to me, I was all up for it._

 _And the result terrified me._

 _Because Anti-bug Chloé was just Chloé Bourgeios with the power to do something about her anger. About her rage, and her spite, and her self-loathing. Ladybug was the catalyst for that rage, but it would have happened sooner or later. Okay, the anger at Ladybug was unusual, and perhaps the only thing of Anti-bug that was different from normal Chloé. Chloé opened her eyes to the kind of person she had become, that was nearly indistinguishable from an akuma._

 _I really shouldn't talk about myself in the third person._

 _I had a breakdown. Thankfully, it was in front of Sabrina, and she helped me get through that, and asked me if I would consider seeing a therapist. I'm sure you can imagine my initial reaction. Damn if Sabrina didn't stand up to me, though. I was never as proud of her as I was then. She used every dirty trick I had ever taught her to badger, cajole, and push me into admitting that I needed to get help, without ever demanding it. She was amazing, and I wish you could have seen it, because it would have shown you that she's not the pushover that everyone seems to think she is._

 _So I went into therapy. And it took a little while before I was really comfortable talking about myself with the doctor. But after three or four sessions, the doctor gave me a diagnosis (bipolar, if you are wondering, but usually on the manic side of the scale) and suggested some medications. I'm sure you can imagine my reaction to that as well. My doctor took my arguments apart even better than Sabrina had (she might not have Sabrina's personal knowledge of me, but age and treachery served her quite well) and she convinced me that maybe, possibly, I should try this medication. It took a while before everything was right, but they help. A lot. They gave me control of my emotions in a way I didn't have before._

 _So it was a scared Chloé who was much more in control of her emotions that started to fix her life, and who wanted to be something other than a horrendous bitch to everyone she knew. I am trying to be nicer, but I'm still going to call a stupid thing stupid, and if someone asks my opinion, they are going to get the unvarnished truth. I'm trying not to give my opinion out unsolicited so much, and I'm trying not to be a mean-spirited bitch about it. I also know I won't succeed all the time. There are some crimes against fashion that cannot go unpunished._

 _I'm babbling._

 _I know that you're probably wondering if there is a point to all this, and there is one, I swear. There was a point in the last four drafts of this letter, too, but they were all worse than this one, if you can believe that. I was making too many excuses still, too many obfuscations, because I was embarrassed. And I'm awkward. I can deal with political dinners and high-society parties because no one ever says anything. Everyone just parrots the party line, no thinking needed. Especially from someone our age, they think we are too young to have any worthwhile thoughts anyway. I'm nothing more than an ornament, the child-shaped appendage necessary for a successful career in the upper reaches of politics. And if anyone thinks my daddy is going to stop at being the mayor of Paris, they are blind. But no one expects me to have anything worthwhile to say, so I just repeat the things I'm supposed to say, and it's easy. But actually talking to people? Holding a conversation with them, rather than just yell at them or insult them?_

 _Ha. More babbling._

 _So we come back to you. Dear Marinette._

 _God this is hard._

 _I'm sorry. I have to say that first. Of all the people I have been awful to, you were the one I attacked the most. Because I felt threatened. Because you have a family that loves you and spends time with you, rather than a father who has no time for you and a mother that isn't even there. Because everyone loves you, and you don't even have to try, because you're genuine and kind and sweet. Because you caught Adrien's attention, when he was one of my only friends, and I was afraid he would leave me. Because you are pretty when you run into class ten minutes after you got out of bed, and are still rubbing the sleep from your eyes. (You do realize how unfair that is to the rest of woman-kind, don't you? You are setting impossibly high standards for fresh-faced prettiness). Because I wanted you to be MY friend, and ONLY my friend, but you loved everyone and could have never held yourself back that way. And because of all these stupid, childish reasons, I attacked you, and threatened you, and by the time I knew better I was locked into my petty, hateful, unthinking behaviors, and it took becoming an akuma to wake me up to what I had become. I am sorry, more sorry than there are words for. Because I don't hate you. Not at all._

 _Because I asdljkvb;klr/neakvb s;ldiwakjbhe;l_

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé let out a shriek at her desk and wadded up the paper she was writing on, standing up and stomping over to the trash bin. She threw the balled up note at the bin and failed to note that it bounced off the edge and fell behind it. She turned to stomp back to her desk when she realized that she was, in fact, in the middle of class. And that Madame Bustier was staring right at her. The class was shocked when Chloé slapped herself in the face, cradling her face in her palm.

"I'm sorry, Madame," she said through her hand. Chloé _apologizing_ brought even more shock. Yes, she had been nicer recently, much nicer in fact, but…Chloé doesn't apologize. Of course, usually she also doesn't shriek of her own accord in the middle of class, either.

Mme. Bustier eyed Chloé for a moment, then pointed the girl to her seat. While she normally would have sent Chloé down to see M. Damocles, the girl _had_ apologized. A little positive reinforcement might encourage the behavior. And if it didn't, she could add it to the list of offenses if something happened later on. Chloé slinked back to her seat, murmuring 'Thank you' as she passed her teacher. She slid into the seat and tried her best to be invisible for the rest of the class. She was so embarrassed that she gathered her things and dashed out of the class as soon as the end bell rang.

Alya turned to her seat-mate Marinette as they watched. "What was that all about?"

Marinette shrugged and gave Alya an awkward smile. "I think Chloé had a me-moment," she replied wryly.

Alya laughed. "A burst of spontaneous awkwardness followed by maximum public embarrassment?"

"Al! Mean!" the blunette replied indignantly. "At least phrase it a little better! I'm not that…that…" her reply petered out and she sighed. "Okay, yes I am."

"Sorry, Mari," Alya replied, giggling. "You know I love you, but you have a talent like no other for public spectacle."

 _You have NO idea, Alya,_ Marinette thought as she gathered her things. "I'm going home for lunch, coming?"

Alya shook her head. "I have to mod the LadyBlog forum. There was an incipient flame war building and even though I warned the idiots, I'm sure _someone_ will cross the line. Then I can ban-hammer the users and lock the thread, and get back to the proper work for the blog."

Marinette shook her head. "You need help, Alya," she told her friend.

"Talk about mean!" Alya replied back.

Marinette giggled. "I meant that you need actual help. Another person, or at least a moderator."

The taller girl frowned. "That would mean letting someone else work on the blog. I'm not sure I'm ready for that," she said honestly. "I mean, it's been my baby from the beginning. It's the most followed blog in the world about Ladybug and Chat Noir, and I'm just turning fifteen. Do you know how big that is? I want to hold onto it for as long as I can. I need the right person, if I'm going to give up exclusive control of the blog."

Marinette nodded. "I understand, Al, but don't let it get away from you," she warned. She waved as she went out the door, and Alya sat down at the desk she had just vacated. She pulled a wrapped muffin from her bag and nibbled on it while she acted as the voice of discipline and maturity on her forum, and then pulled up a search engine to see if there had been any new sightings while they were in class. There weren't any reports, which meant that she hadn't missed anything. She finished the muffin and then scrunched up the bag it was wrapped in. She walked over to the trash bin and tossed it it – or tried to. It bounced off the rim and fell behind the bin, and she sighed and pulled the bin forward so she could get her trash. She saw the balled-up stationary sitting next to the balled-up bag, and she absently threw her trash away as she picked up the wadded note.

 _This is Chloé's note,_ she thought. She wrestled with temptation. The girl didn't want anyone to read the note, obviously, but Alya was a budding journalist and she knew that trash was fair game when it came to investigative reporting. A touch on the shady side, perhaps, but still fair game. Besides, it was _Chloé_ , so it was probably just a love note to Adrien that she misspelled a word on, or some such. Temptation won, and she smoothed the note out and began to read. Her eyes grew wide. And then they grew wider.

"Holy shit," she whispered. "Hoooooolyyyyyyy shit."

LFC LFC LFC

Alya was waiting by the entrance to Collège Françoise Dupont when Marinette returned, and she dragged her friend to an empty class. They only had a few minutes until the warning bell, but she had to talk to her friend.

"Alya? What's going on?" Marinette asked.

Alya ducked her head. "I-I found Chloé's note, the one she was writing in class, during lunch break. It had fallen behind the trash bin, and when I missed with my trash, I found it. And I read it, because I was curious. And now I feel like a really awful person, because I found out some secrets that aren't the kind that an ethical journalist would share, not about a 14-year-old girl."

"Alya!" Marinette scolded, as she looked around furtively. "You shouldn't have done that! What if she finds out? Why did you even read it?"

The redhead gave her friend an awkward look. "Because it was addressed to you…"

"Al!" Marinette wasn't quite sure what to think. It was _Chloé_ , but she had been, if not nice, at least much less mean than she had been when they started college. She had also been less clingy and more genuine to Ladybug, and had only asked for a selfie once, and not after a fight with an akuma that she herself had caused. In fact, only one of the last eight akuma had been caused by Chloé, and the fact was that the man had almost spilled two hot lattes on Chloé, with only the Sabrina's quick reaction protecting her from a likely burn. The fact that her white shoes had been spattered with the coffee, and were probably ruined, had been what set the girl off, and even Marinette could understand why Chloé might have been a bit strident in her response to the man. The girl's tongue was still as sharp as ever, though, and quickly enough, the Caffeinator was attacking the streets of Paris. The blonde had even had the grace to look a little rueful after the akuma had been defeated, and Ladybug had complimented her on her growing awareness of others the next time they had crossed paths. Which made Alya's invasion of the girl's privacy all the more upsetting. Chloé was _trying_ , and whatever secrets her friend had learned should have remained private. Marinette understood secrets. "What are you going to do?"

Alya shuddered. "I'm going to have to tell her. And apologize."

Marinette nodded. "I think that's the right thing to do."

"It's just really going to suck," her friend replied. The pair turned and left the room as the warning bell rang, and they slid into their seats with only a minute or so to spare. Classes resumed, but Alya couldn't pay attention to the lesson at all. She struggled through the rest of the day, and waved goodbye to Marinette, who had to babysit Manon again, and almost ran to Chloé's desk after the last bell rang. "Chloé," she said hesitantly, "can I talk to you for a minute? Privately?"

Chloé gave what Alya privately referred to as _The Look_. "Is it important, Césaire? My time is valuable, you know."

"Yes, I know," Alya replied. "It's important."

Chloé nodded, then turned to Sabrina. "I'll call you when I'm done, and we can meet in the library and find the books we need."

"Oh, I can do that!" Sabrina replied, but Chloé shook her head.

"I should do this," Chloé said. "I know what we need to say, but we also need _actual references_ for this. I think I know a couple blogs we can get most of the data from, but some of the books we need to quote are too old to have any kind of online presence." She grinned wryly. "Besides, I know Adrien is in there, so I can kill two birds with one stone!" Sabrina giggled and ran off to put her things away in her locker. Chloé gestured, and Alya lead the blonde to the same classroom she had spoken to Marinette in. Alya closed the door, and then turned to Chloé.

"What's this about, then? I need my Adrien-watching time," Chloé told her.

"I – um – this was an accident. I wasn't trying to snoop, but you missed the trash bin, and I was curious, and I am so, so sorry," the redhead said in a rush as she handed over the stationary, now folded in half.

Chloé's nostrils flared, and fury flashed in her eyes. "You. Had. No. Right."

"I know," Alya responded. "I feel horrible."

"Good."

"I promise, I won't tell anyone," the taller girl replied. "I told Marinette I read it, and that it was addressed to her – which is why I read it in the first place – but I didn't tell her anything else about it. And I won't."

"You had better not!" Chloé told her. "I – I don't even have any words, right now, Césaire. And you should know what that means from me. I just can't believe…" She spluttered, and then her face shifted, anger replaced by fear, and she slumped. "Oh, god." She looked up, her face transformed into a mask of fear. "Please, please don't tell Marinette anything else. Not even by accident." Alya was shocked, she had never seen Chloé like this before. "I don't know how to face her yet, I'm trying, but everything I try to say just comes out as a mess. I babble. How do I babble when I write?"

"I'm…not sure?" Alya said. "For what it's worth, I respect the hell out of you. I'd even say I'm proud of you, but I doubt that that holds much coming from me right now."

Chloé snorted. "I'd say you're right, except…it does, in a way. You respect strong women more than anyone else. Ladybug, and Marinette. And Rena Rouge. To be counted in some way with that kind of company…there are worse things."

"You think Marinette is strong?" Alya asked.

"She's stood up to me," the blonde replied. "No one else has the nerve to do so, not really. She just doesn't care. I can anger her, but she comes back even stronger. She's always right, and she proves it in the end. She made me face myself. And she does it almost completely on her own. You jelp her, but you fiold on your own. Adrien prevaricates. Marinette just spits in my eye and proves she's better than me in every way." She sighed. "She's amazing, she's awesome, she's powerful."

Alya thought about this for a moment. "Do you – do you _like_ Marinette?"Chloé's eyes went wide before she could control herself, and Alya let out a little gasp. "You do!"

"I swear to god, Césaire, Not. A. Word."

"But what about Adrien?" the blogger asked.

Chloé sighed. "I had to think a lot about this," she replied, "to learn about myself. Half my school life seems to revolve around verbally sparring with Marinette. The doctor and I spend a lot of time on the subject. Why I disliked her, why we fought – and I realized that I wanted her attention. Even bad attention is better than no attention, you know? We were set in our roles, and I kind of despaired about ever getting free from it. I had nightmares for a long time, even before Anti-bug. Of being ignored. Ignored by everyone, but especially Marinette. That I wasn't worth the time to even dislike. I shout out about how great I am, so that no one can ever ignore me." She shuddered. "And then there were the _other_ dreams."

"Other dreams?" Alya asked.

" _Other_ dreams. Not bad ones. Good ones. Very very good ones," Chloé finished with a blush.

Alya caught her meaning all at once, and her eyes went wide. "Really?"

Chloé blushed more. "Really."

Alya hummed. "Why are you telling me this?"

Chloé sighed. "I'm not sure. Because I can. Because I need to. I think I just needed someone to talk to, someone who isn't on my side. You're Marinette's best friend, you are most _definitely_ not on my side." She sighed again. "Besides, she's hung up on Adrien. And even if she _did_ like girls, she most definitely wouldn't like me."

The redhead shrugged. "That, I can't tell you. I know that she has wished for a long time that the two of you didn't fight like you do. I couldn't tell you why, though. I think that she doesn't like that she feels so negatively about you. Marinette isn't a person who hates by her nature. She wants to believe the best of everyone. You just make it really hard, sometimes."

"I know."

"She doesn't hate you, though, she does have sketches of dresses and jackets that she's designed for you. Whenever she designs something yellow, it ends up being designed for you. And she's shown them to Adrien, and Nathaniel, and Jagged Stone…"

"Seriously? Jagged Stone?"

"He was looking for something for his sister, and she has a similar coloring to you," Alya replied. "It's not a secret or anything." Alya hung her head. "Secrets. God. I feel like such a horrible person now. I shouldn't know any secrets, ever. God forbid I ever find out who Ladybug actually is."

"You'll keep my secrets though, won't you?"

Alya looked wary. "I know you're trying to be a better person, so I hate asking this, but you have a history…you won't threaten my Mom's job over this, will you?"

Chloé looked horrified. "Of course not! God, was I really that much of a bitch?" She thought about it for a moment, then sighed again. "Yeah, I was, wasn't I. How did anyone even stand me?"

"Because some of us know deep down that you aren't that shallow and horrible? I mean, Ladybug told me in an interview about your Ladybug roleplaying…"

"Oh good lord," Chloé said. "Really?" She hung her head. "Can today get any more embarrassing?"

Alya laughed. "Do you really want to tempt fate by asking that?"

"Shit," the blonde said. There was really nothing else to say to that.

LFC LFC LFC

Marinette waved to Mme. Chamack and Manon after walking the energetic girl back home, sighing with relief. Manon was cute, but she had more energy than Alya at her most manic. She walked down the street, waving at Juleka and Rose as she passed them, Juleka sipping at a coffee, and Rose hanging off of the taller girl's free arm. The blonde giggled at something Juleka said, and waved back at Marinette, standing on her tiptoes to whisper something to her girlfriend, which had the black-haired girl looking back at Marinette momentarily, before she shook her head and pulled Rose along.

Marinette's stomach growled, and she frowned. The worst thing about being Ladybug was that she was always hungry. Tikki assured her that as her body optimized that she would eat less, but she had yet to see it. She wasn't even sure what that really meant. She liked her body as it was, darn it. She thought she might have gotten a bit taller, though, and she had needed to go shopping for new lingerie, but she didn't think that had anything to do with being a better Ladybug. Her waist was a touch thinner too, and her legs looked _amazing_ , with just enough softness left to hide the taut muscle beneath. So maybe Tikki was right. But she could do without wanting to eat on the hour, every hour. She passed a street vendor selling kebob, and decided she could spare a few francs of her pay from the night's babysitting. She sat on a bench and quickly ate the meat and flatbread, licking her fingers clean as she stood and resumed her trek home. She was turning the last corner before home when her phone buzzed, and saw the text from Alya.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I apologized to Chloé. It wasn't as bad as i thought

 **Bakery Klutz:** I see she let you live

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** She did. It was not what i expected at all. But i made a promise not to tell anyone what we talked about. After invading her privacy like i did, i owe her that much

 **Bakery Klutz:** I understand. I'm proud that you're taking it seriously, even if it is Chloé

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I think that i understand her a little better now.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I still don't like your nickname on here

 **Bakery Klutz:** Well I made it a day after I completely demolished three trays of croissants and now i'm not changing it because it reminds me to be more careful

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I think it makes you look silly

 **Bakery Klutz:** You do know you are talking to marinette, right?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Fine fine, I get it. So how was manon tonight?

 **Bakery Klutz:** She reminded me once again why i never want children

 **Bakery Klutz:** I swear mme. chamack gives her coffee and sugar before dropping her off

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I don't think that manon would actually drink coffee

 **Bakery Klutz:** An energy drink?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** No, because the city isn't burning.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** So any progress with adrien? I was distracted after lunch

 **Bakery Klutz:** I noticed that, you were staring at Chloé all afternoon

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** BECAUSE I FELT AWFUL

 **Bakery Girl:** I'm kidding, i'm kidding. She's not your type

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** And why do you say that?

 **Bakery Klutz:** Because she doesn't wear red with black spots

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** Asfdlihe don't even. I am not crushing on ladybug. I admire her. Just because i said her ass looks even more amazing recently does not mean that i want her body. Her butt and her legs together look like the platonic ideal of the same

 **Bakery Klutz:** The what now?

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** Look it up. Use your words, mari

 **Bakery Klutz:** Not all of us want to be reporters when we grow up, or run a famous blog, thank you

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** Fear my vast vocabulary

 **Bakery Klutz:** I don't understand enough of your vocabulary to fear it

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You are not that dumb, mari

 **Bakery Klutz:** Not saying that, just saying me words no goodly. Look at what happens when i try to talk to adrien

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I don't think that has anything to do with your vocabulary, dear

 **Bakery Klutz:** I'll use any excuse i can get

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Chloé has a nice ass too. Not ladybug good, but then what is

 **Bakery Klutz:**!

 **Bakery Klutz:** Why are you looking at Chloé's butt alya?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Because I am an expert on all things booty related and i have failed in my duties to properly appraise all the butts in our class by not considering Chloé's butt. It ranks just below yours

 **Bakery Klutz:** Alya you are lucky that i love you, butt stop looking at my ass

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You are absolutely no fun

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** So tell me, why are you standing outside the bakery texting when you could be inside the bakery and talking to me face to face? Also did you mean to make a butt pun?

 **Bakery Klutz:** Asdlkjabliu=

 **Bakery Klutz:** And no

 **Bakery Klutz:** Shut up i'm coming inside now. Kill me please

 **Mlle Ladyblog:** Before or after dinner?

 **Bakery Klutz:** After please i am hollow

 **Bakery Klutz:** Now i am thinking about Chloé's ass what is wrong with you why would you do that to me?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Because it's funny

 **Bakery Klutz:** Mean. So mean.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** COME INSIDE ALREADY YOU ARE RIDICULOUS

 **Bakery Klutz:** K

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé sat at her desk in her suite, tapping on the surface with her pen. She had apologized to Sabrina, but she was going to be useless at studying. Alya had given her some advice, and some encouragement. And not even five minutes ago had sent her a candid pic of Marinette, her hair up in a bun, in an oversized t-shirt that Chloé thought was one of the charity Ladybug shirts from that event two months ago, and really really short running shorts and _oh good god those legs_. It wasn't a salacious picture at all, coming from a side angle, but that just put the long line of her legs on full display. They looked miles long, and as if they were carved in marble. Marinette was on her tiptoes, pulling down a bin full of fabric from the top of a stack of them, and her calves were flexed and _oh good god_. It wasn't suggestive, but it was most assuredly sexy. Possibly the sexiest non-ladybug thing she had ever seen.

Chloé had never looked at Marinette's bare legs with the intent to look. Now she couldn't stop. And she just knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself when she saw the girl at college tomorrow. Alya was just mean. This must be revenge for all the things she had ever done to the girl. Her phone buzzed again.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I told you her legs were amazing

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Shutup Alya

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Youre welcome

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Please die now thx

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I already died

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Good god. What kind of workout is she doing

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** If i knew i would be doing it too

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I gtg mari is making me a ladybug kigurumi and she needs to fit me because she doesn't usually do baggy clothes like this

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Jealous do you think she would make me one

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You could always ask?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Going now ttyl

Chloé sighed. She was going to get absolutely _no_ sleep tonight, not with that image burned into her brain. She might as well try again.

 _Dear Marinette_


	2. The Thirteenth

_Dear Marinette_

 _I'm getting better at writing these letters. This is number thirteen, so I'm sure it will go horrible wrong, but maybe the bad luck will break my bad luck? It can't be any worse than the one I wrote as a poem; there are some concepts that just don't translate well to poetic verse. At some point, I'm sure I'll be able to write you a coherent letter. This one isn't off to a good start, but we shall see._

 _I want to say I'm sorry. I was truly awful to you, for no other reason than that you were kinder than me, more charming than me, prettier than me, and that you were truly a better person than me. I was threatened by you. I was jealous of you. You have an amazing family. You have more friends than you can count. You have more creative talent in your little finger than I have in my whole body. I can replicate. You, however,_ create _. And that is amazing. But younger, more immature Chloé didn't understand that you being better at something didn't diminish her, and she was desperate to be noticed, and so she lashed out, and I am sorry._

 _Speaking of myself in the third person isn't very healthy, I know, but sometimes it's the only way I can address those parts of my life. I've had to face all the dark, hateful corners of my mind in the last months, which has been a profound and appalling experience. Therapy helps, and the results have been amazing, but the getting there was not something I ever want to go through again._

 _Yes, I'm in therapy. I have been since a little while after Anti-bug. I could wow you with all the details, but they are not something I would wish on an enemy, and I don't want us to be enemies anymore. I'm tired of being enemies. I'm tired of being Chloé Bourgeois, the bitchy princess of Paris, the leading cause of akuma in the city. Although I'm really surprised tourists aren't the leading cause of akuma, and that we don't have tour guides and museum docents snapping and going akuma every other day, because tourists are awful. Those people are_ saints _for doing what they do._

 _This isn't really telling you why I'm writing, but I'm working myself up to it. You would think that just the act of taking up pen and paper was enough, but actually putting the words down is difficult. I really would like to get together with you, go and get coffee, or hot chocolate, and just talk. I can tell you more about the things I've found out about myself, that are really too embarrassing to write down, and after the incident with Alya, I don't think I really want to take the risk of doing so._

 _I'm not mad at Alya, by the way. I mean, for a little while I was absolutely furious, but I could tell she felt awful, and I'm trying to be a better person, so rather than go full-bitch, I decided to listen to her, and I've realized that she's not awful to talk to. She's smart, and fun, if you like her brand of humor, anyway. She's very insightful. And she's giving me a chance to, if not start over, then at least call a truce, and work toward a peace treaty._

 _I think I have history on the brain, or I wouldn't be using that as an analogy._

Chloé sat back and looked at her letter, and the progress so far. It was turning out better than the last disaster. She needed to think. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts right now. She'd take a bath, and relax for a bit, and then she could try and finish her letter. Who knows, maybe she could actually give this one to Marinette.

Right.

LFC LFC LFC

Ladybug swung and bounded over buildings on a curving course, deliberately choosing to cross new buildings and find new paths across the rooftops on her late night patrol. It occupied her mind and left less time for meandering trains of thought, particularly ones that involved Chloé Bourgeois. She wasn't sure what she and Alya had actually talked about, but Alya was suddenly much less hostile toward the blonde. Maybe they had bonded over their mutual adoration of Ladybug? Stranger things had happened.

It was a quiet night, and she didn't expect any trouble. Pappilion rarely went less than three days between attacks, while it was more usually four to five days. From what she had been able to learn from Tikki, Papillion had to stay transformed in order to control his akuma, which meant that he had to disappear for hours at a time. Unless he was a idle millionaire – did they even have those anymore? – then he likely had responsibilities in his real-world persona just like she and Chat did. The only times it had been less than three days, had all been caused by Chloé at her worst, and all before Anti-bug. Since the last attack had been two days ago, it was probably going to be a slow night. Chat was patrolling the other half of the city, moving away from her, which meant her night had been quiet, as well.

Apparently her thoughts were more on Chloé than she had believed, though, because she realized that she was approaching Le Grand Paris. She alighted on one of the nearby buildings, and looked over to Chloé's balcony. The room lights were on, but she didn't see any movement. Maybe she was out? Ladybug thought for a moment why she was trying to figure out where Chloé was, and almost smacked herself. She wanted to see the Chloé that Alya was talking about. The nice Chloé that had begun to appear in unguarded moments. And truth be told, the blonde _had_ been well behaved, with just one akuma in four weeks. It may be a thin excuse, but Ladybug thanking the girl for her improved demeanor _did_ give her an excuse to drop in. Chat Noir had appeared on Marinette's rooftop with far less rationalization than that.

Decision made, her yoyo snapped out and Ladybug swung up to Chloé's balcony, touching down with almost no sound. One of the doors was open, and she knocked on the frame. "Chloé? Are you in?" She heard some humming, so she assumed that her biggest fan was, in fact, in. She didn't want to just walk in like she owned the place, though, so she waited in the door. So she was in a perfect spot to see Chloé Bourgeois walk into the room, wearing a pale silk robe that clung in places where she hadn't gotten herself completely dry. The sash was tied loosely, and she could see an amazing amount of bronzed skin from neck to bellybutton. The blonde looked up and locked eyes with her, and her face went from startled to curious to elated almost faster than Ladybug could watch.

"Ladybug!" Chloé gushed, "did you take time out of your patrol to visit your number one fan?"

Ladybug thought about how to answer that, and decided to go with a certain amount of honesty. "Actually, I did," she replied. She was astonished at how much Chloé's expression changed at that admission, the girl's joy was almost blinding.

"What did I do to earn such a favor from the busiest hero in Paris?"

Ladybug laughed. "There are only two of us," she replied. "At least most of the time."

"But still," Chloé replied, "you are rather busy. And as happy as I am to see you, I hope I'm not a distraction to you."

Ladybug was amazed. Without the barriers that had been built up between Marinette and Chloé coloring their reactions, the changes in the girl were obvious. She was thinking of others to a degree that neither Ladybug nor Marinette had ever seen before. She was almost bursting with pride in the way the girl had changed, and she should know that. "I dropped in to visit you for a bit, Chloé, because I wanted to thank you, and to offer some encouragement." The blonde girl's eyes went wide, and Ladybug continued. "You've grown and matured in the time since we met, you've learned to control your temper. You've only cause two akuma in the past six weeks, and even I can agree the last one wasn't completely your fault. And I just wanted to thank you for working so hard to improve yourself, to become the person I knew that you could be. I'm really proud of you, Chloé, and I hope that you're happy with the person you're becoming, because I wouldn't mind being friends with that person."

Chloé's eyes were tearing up, and before Ladybug could say anything more, or could really react in any way, the blonde was hugging her, arms around her waist, head buried against her neck, as she cried in great, shuddering gasps. She gingerly wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl, and just held her for long minutes as the tears came. He was vaguely aware of the girl's curves, how they pressed up against her and how she liked it, but it was something she forced into her back brain, where she could think about it later. She wasn't sure how long they stood there, but the blonde soon composed herself and began to back away, looking distraught. "I'm so sorry to impose on you…"

"It's okay, you know," Ladybug said, reaching out and ruffling the damp, now slightly tangled hair. "I really am proud of you. I know you've always been a huge fan…"

"I'm you're number one fan!" she interjected.

"The Ladyblog disagrees," she retorted, "but not to digress, you've been a huge fan, and when I see someone making such positive changes, I want to give something back to them for all the support they have given me."

Chloé blushed brightly. "You didn't have to do that, Ladybug, but I can't even put into words what that means to me. You're my idol. And I had a huge crush on you for a while…"

Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "You had a crush on me? And had, as in you don't anymore?"

Chloé grinned wryly. "I mean, I still think you're attractive, but I realized that you're _Ladybug_. That's not who you are all the time, and I can't possibly know the real you. Secrets are secrets for a reason. So I'm afraid I will just have to suffer from unrequited love, and I must learn to move on." She blushed some more. "Besides, I have a crush on someone I actually know, now. Even if they are almost as unobtainable."

The scarlet hero smiled. "I'm glad that I don't have to break your heart, Chloé, I would hate to do that to someone I would like to be friends with." She tilted her head slightly. "So, who are you crushing on? I think most of your class has been an akuma at one point or another – sorry, but it's true," Chloé nodded in agreement, "and so I've met most of them, at least in passing. So who is it? That redheaded artist? That model, Adrien Agreste?"

"Actually, she's never been an akuma," Chloé interrupted, "but I know you've met her and talked to her." She blushed furiously. "It's embarrassing because we haven't gotten along in the past, but I've been in therapy, which has helped me be less of a bitch, and has helped me to be more self-aware; I have been thinking about her a lot – she sweet, she's pretty, and she has the most _amazing_ legs - and I finally figured out that behind all the bickering and the sniping and the competition, that I have a huge crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Ladybug was glad for Chloé's rambling, because it had given her time to school her reaction when she had realized just where the girl's confession had been headed. _Oh, my. Wow. This must be what Al was being smug about earlier. How do I even respond to that? I have to respond like Ladybug. Be Ladybug. Marinette can react later._ If this had happened six months ago, she probably would have given herself away. She cleared her throat. "I know who you're talking about. The girl that Evillustrator had a crush on, yes?"

Chloé nodded. "That's her. I don't even know what to do about it. I've been awful to her. I've been trying to write her a letter, but none of the words are coming together right. I just want to get a chance to talk to her properly, without all the baggage, and try and put the past behind us. If we can." She sighed.

"That's very noble," Ladybug replied, her mind awhirl. She needed time to think, to get her thoughts a little more in order. She noticed the phone in Chloé's hand, and pointed at it, then motioned the girl to come over. The blonde squealed and dashed over, grabbing onto her arm and raising the camera high. Ladybug gave her a genuine smile, perhaps the first she had given in a selfie with the girl. The stalling tactic didn't help her clear her mind much, because she could feel the other girl's body against her, with just two layers of fabric between them. She gave Chloé's hand a squeeze, then stepped away. She went with something encouraging and safe. "I wish you the best of luck, Chloé."

"Thank you, Ladybug." Chloé gave her another blinding smile. The hero in red and black gave the blonde a little bow, taking in the girl's appearance in the robe one last time, and then she turned, her yoyo came out, and she was swinging off into the darkness.

 _Chloé has a crush on me. On real world me. Oh wow._ The whole idea was a bit shocking. She tried to picture Chloé in her mind, without all the baggage, without all the history. _Chloé is really sexy. And has a really nice body. And the joy on her face…seeing that could be addictive. She was absolutely gorgeous. Damn. Maybe I do have a bit of a crush. Damnit, Alya, making me think about Chloé like that._ She shook her head. She needed to get home, and get to bed. Even if she was sure that sleep probably wouldn't come easy tonight. And she had a feeling that a different blonde than normal would be starring in her dreams tonight.

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Morning came early for Alya. Chloé had messaged her, late, telling her that Ladybug had dropped in to thank her and tell her that she appreciated the effort the blonde was making. Then she had sent the selfie she had gotten, and it was without a doubt the best selfie the girl had ever gotten with her idol. Ladybug's smile was that of a friend, and while Alya felt a bit jealous, she didn't begrudge Chloé her good fortune. They had continued to message for a while, and Alya wondered a bit if she had ended up in some parallel universe that she was actually kind of a friend to Chloé Bourgeois. Or at least was working toward friendship. It was strange, but compared to the alternative, it was kind of nice. She wasn't sure it was completely legitimate, because of their history, but she was going to try and give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, the blonde's crush on Marinette was both amusing and endearing, and she was so earnest and hesitant and shy, something that Alya would swear Chloé would _never_ be, that she really thought that the girl was completely genuine. Add in the fact that she had gotten a visit from Ladybug, and Chloé was completely out of sorts. She was sure that the girl would be a complete mess today, and Alya wanted to see if the image she projected would hold up against all the events of yesterday.

Alya picked out a different flannel than her usual, which was in the wash after an unfortunate incident with her sisters and some chocolate sauce. The black flannel had red and white woven into the pattern, and it had the softness of new flannel. She shrugged into it and grabbed her bag and her phone, heading out the door as she pulled up the admin page for the Ladyblog. There were no new crises, no flame wars, and nothing exciting from the night before. Chat had apparently broken up a mugging, where the victim turned out to be a well-known American composer and lyricist out for a late dinner, and the event had made international news. Alya did a quick search and, after a quick scan of several articles, grabbed the links to the best coverage of the story, making sure to properly credit the sources. She was at Collège Françoise Dupont by the time she finished, having navigated almost on autopilot, and she entered the command to post as she went through the gate, finally looking up from her phone. What she saw when she looked up stopped her dead.

Chloé's hair was _down_. Her makeup was _subdued_. She was wearing her usual clothes – Alya was glad for that, she wasn't sure that she could take too many shocks to her system – but her expression was positively radiant. Alya laughed with a snort. Of course she was. She was talking to Sabrina and had somehow convinced Alix and Mylène to give her a moment, and the shocked looks on their faces told Alya that the girl had shown the three her selfie with Paris' resident superhero.

"Get out," Alix finally responded. "That's gotta be an actress!"

Chloé shook her head. "I was as surprised as you are. I certainly would be wearing more than my bathrobe if I had arranged for such a thing!"

Alix thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, okay, that's fair. Not like you can post that to any of your social media accounts. Never mind what your father would say, if you post that much skin…" Alix left her idea of the consequences up to imagination, and Chloé shuddered.

"Just the thought makes me feel unclean. The number of perverts on the internet is truly disturbing. I'm _fourteen_." The blonde shuddered again, and the look of horror on Mylène's face was completely real.

"Good morning, Chloé," Alya called out to the girl, "that's a new look for you."

Chloé blushed. "With everything that happened yesterday, I didn't fall asleep until almost 2am. I woke up really late. And I really don't want to have any more late arrivals unless it's a real emergency." She looked over at Mylène and Alix, and noticed they were both looking at her with shock and apprehension. Chloé cocked her head slightly. "What?" she asked, her tone closer to the sharp, snarky attitude she usually displayed.

"You – you're talking to _Alya_ ," Mylène said softly, "and you are saying that not having time to properly do your hair and makeup _isn't a real emergency_. Are you feeling okay? Should we take you to see the nurse?"

Chloé stared at the girls for a moment with look somewhere between confusion, apprehension, and indignation. Finally, she shook her head and laughed. "Okay, I completely deserved that," she said. And it was true, it was very out of character for her. The fact that _Mylène_ had stepped up to say something showed just how different she was acting this morning. "I'm really okay, though. Yesterday was just weird. Really, really weird. In a good way, but really, really weird."

"I'd say," Alix replied.

"Good morning, Alya~," the girls heard from the direction of the gate, and Alya could swear she heard a tilde at the end of Marinette's greeting. She turned and received another shock. Marinette was wearing the skirt she had been finishing up the night before, with a tight white sweater under a cropped pink jacket. The sweater had a more elaborate, embroidered version of the cherry-blossom print on her favorite shirt, and her friend looked _damned cute_. It was also showing off her legs to great effect, and it made Alya wonder how Chloé was reacting to the image before her. She heard Sabrina whisper _breathe, Chloé_ and Alya had her answer. It also told her that Sabrina, at least, knew of Chloé's crush, for which she was very thankful. As much as she tentatively liked the new and improved Chloé, she was glad not to be the girl's only confidant in the matter.

"Good morning, Marinette!" she replied, and Marinette quirked her eyebrow at the unusual gathering. Then she caught sight of Chloé's look, and stumbled, reverting to type. Alix managed to keep her from falling, and Mylène and Sabrina both giggled. Chloé just looked stunned.

"So what's going on, here?" Marinette asked after she recovered.

"Ladybug visited Chloé last night and complimented her on her hard work," Sabrina answered, "and she's still half in a daze."

"That's amazing, Chloé!" Marinette replied. She looked a bit drained, which amused Alya to no end.

"Morning, everyone," Adrien said as he passed the group. "Chloé, your hair looks great! I always liked how it looked down, it's much too nice to keep it up like you do."

"Thank you, Adrien!" she said with a touch of her normal exuberance. Then her childhood friend turned to look at the whole group, and he did a double-take.

"A Dupain-Cheng original?" he hazarded a guess as he gestured to Marinette's outfit. The blunette nodded, then shook her head once, as if she was clearing her thoughts.

"Yes!" she finally said. "I really like how it turned out. It's pretty simple, but I like the flare of it, and the line of the waist turned out better than I hoped."

"It's better than anything I saw the other models wearing at the last shoot I did – don't tell my father I said that, though. I think he's going a bit too avant-garde this season; the styles are nice, but it's more change for changes sake than any real innovation." Adrien looked a little worried, as if something was wrong with his father, but there wasn't anything anyone could do about that particular problem. With the lull in the conversation, the group turned by some mutual, unspoken agreement, and made their way to class.

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 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Alya i'm dying

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** How can anyone possibly be that cute. I just want to snuggle up with her and not let go. Except that then i wouldn't be able to see her legs and that would truly be a crime. Those things are lethal weapons. I am dead

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You are so damn melodramatic, Chloé

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You really went all in on this crush girl

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** It's a year and a half of repressed emotion. It must be.

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Also did you look at the girl? I think i heard adrien's puberty kick in when he looked at her

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Did you seen nathanael he pulled a full marinette and practically faceplanted when he saw her

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Did you see kim's face when he saw you? I think he had a heart attack the boy still has a massive crush on you

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** He's a glutton for punishment otherwise he wouldn't pick loosing bets all the time

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I think he bets more on his emotions than on actual logic

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Also marinette keeps staring at you, just thought you should know :)

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** God damn it alya

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Sorry not sorry, i am supportive but i cant help but tease you about this. Think of it as penance for being a hateful bitch for so long

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** You suck and i suppose that is fair even though you know I shall get revenge

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I can always tease you about dj boy

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Please don't i adore nino but he is such a boy sometimes

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** What does that make kim then?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Suffering from terminal testosterone poisoning

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Truth

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Shit mme. bustier is giving us both looks

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Oops okay talk later

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** If you can manage to get close to marinette and still manage to speak

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** You suck shut up i will kill you later

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Keep dreaming brat princess

LFC LFC LFC

Marinette was quite out of sorts, and more than a bit confused. She had gotten almost no sleep, her mind a muddled mess. She had no idea what she felt at the moment. She knew she still liked Adrien, she knew. He was so handsome he transcended into pretty, and he was one of the sweetest, kindest people she knew. And maybe that was part of the problem. When she got past the sheer physical attraction, she wasn't quite sure what she thought about him. They were friends, and perhaps good friends, but…there was very little passion. She had a massive crush, but he didn't put a fire in her heart. She wasn't sure when that became important to her – except that she realized it now.

Chloé, on the other hand…the girl had _always_ caused strong emotions within her. For a long time, it had been anger and frustration, but it had always been passionate. She was so frustrated with the girl – she knew that they had more than a bit in common, but the blonde had been nothing but antagonistic for so long. Marinette had noticed the changes, of course, especially as Ladybug, and while she had been thankful for the new-found civility, something had been missing between them. She had missed the wild, ardent emotions the girl inspired in her, the desire to prove herself against the girl. She wanted Chloé to know that she wasn't a pushover, that she wasn't some doormat, and when that gone away, she had been at a loss. The news that Chloé _liked_ her had resonated somewhere deep within her. She felt like impressing the girl, showing her that she was still worthy of attention. Marinette _wanted_ Chloé's attention, and when she had finally analyzed the reason for this, well…

Of course, she felt more than a little disingenuous right now, but she was more than used to this by now. _Chloé_ didn't know that Marinette knew. She had told _Ladybug_ about her crush. She had never had such a bad case of dissonance before, a case where her knowledge had affected her so personally. Never had her secret bothered her so much as it did right now. Well, that wasn't one hundred percent true, because Alya had caused more than one panic attack as Marinette struggled to keep her friend from learning her identity, but Alya had never confessed anything of such import to her before, either. As Ladybug, she had kept her interactions with people she knew as Marinette very professional, and without planning to, she had crossed that line with Chloé. And that was the real cause of her distress. That, and she was also more than a bit frazzled by the blonde's look today. She wondered if ruffling the girl's hair had something to do with her failure to style it this morning, or if it was something more mundane. Now that it was dry, the pale blonde hair fell in a soft wave that made Marinette's mouth go dry. _Damn_ Alya for putting those thoughts into her head. She wasn't even sure why she had worn the skirt today, but Chloé's compliment about her legs echoed in her mind, and she had wanted to show off a bit. She appreciated being noticed, even if she would never admit to it. She wasn't vain, but it was nice to be told that she looked good. Besides, if Chloé was stunned, then maybe she would give her more time to adjust to the idea of her former rival having a crush on her.

Class ended abruptly, and Marinette looked up and realized that it was lunch break. How had _that_ happened? She must have really spaced out, because she looked down and saw that she had taken rather thorough notes. Either that, or Alya had found a way to take notes for both of them at once. She looked over at Alya, and her friend had such a grin on her face that she was instantly on alert. "What?" she said with a guarded expression.

The grin grew broader. "I was just wondering what had you staring off at nothing all morning, but I think I have it figured out." The redhead tapped the top of the page, and Marinette blanched when she realized that she had written the name 'Chloé Bourgeois' in a curving, flowery script.

"Shit," the blunette whispered. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Girl crush?" Alya asked.

Marinette nibbled on her lip. "I don't know. No, that's not true, exactly, but…ugh. Shit." She didn't know how to explain this to Alya, she couldn't reveal how she knew about Chloé's feelings, but she didn't want to lie about her confusion and budding interest.

Alya's grin had grown wider. "You almost never swear, and now twice in a minute. _Something_ has you quite out of sorts."

Marinette glared at her friend. "It's you and your comments about Chloé's ass. I can't seem to stop thinking about her now. Now that she isn't being a unrepentant bitch, she's…really pretty. And with her hair down like that, it reminds me of when she was younger, before she became awful to me. When we were younger. We were never really close, but I used to look up to her, she was smart and mature, I wanted to be her friend. And then all at once she became angry and mean, and she started to come after me specifically. I know now that it was when her mother left, but I didn't understand then, and it really, really hurt. And now she looks like that Chloé, just older, and it's confusing the hell out of me," she confessed.

Alya nodded. "Okay, I get all that, and I even agree with some of it, although I didn't know Chloé before. I wasn't sure about her, either. I'm still not sure about her. But I want to give her a chance, because if we do, maybe it will help her in her struggle to become this new and improved person she's trying to be."

"I think…I agree with you," Marinette said with a shake of her head. "I just don't know how to go about it."

Alya grinned again. "That's easy, take her with you to get lunch. Food always helps people bond."

"Are you crazy?"

"Not at all," the redhead replied, "I am perfectly sane, and I have fabulous ideas."

"You run into Ladybug's battlegrounds armed with nothing but a camera," Marinette deadpanned.

"Shush," Alya replied, and she pulled out her phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Messaging Chloé."

"What?" Marinette exclaimed as Alya typed.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You should go get lunch with marinette she wants to try and be friends but she doesn't know how to go about it

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Asdklfjhbiuens alya what are you doing to me

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** You're trying to kill me i know you are why are you doing this?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** She wants to be friends you want to be friends it all works out

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Because its just so easy

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** It is if you stop making a big deal about it now meet her at the doors and go get a damn baguette and stop being a drama queen

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Fine if she meets me there i will go are you happy?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Estatic

Alya looked up at her friend. "Go meet Chloé at the doors and get lunch. It's just lunch, don't be dramatic. It will do you good."

Marinette gazed upon her friend with a look that promised retribution. "I'll get you for this, Al."

"Shush. Go enjoy yourself," the blogger replied, giving Marinette a shove. Her friend stumbled a bit, but started walking out of class toward the entrance. Alya followed, making sure the two girls actually met up, and then walked out together, before she turned back get her own lunch. She was only mildly surprised when she found Sabrina standing behind her.

"You're rather obvious, aren't you?" the shorter redhead asked.

Alya nodded with a grin. "They're both stubborn as hell, and afraid of taking the first step," she told the other girl.

"Both?" Sabrina asked. "Does that mean Marinette likes Chloé back?" she asked with interest.

"She's not sure," Alya replied honestly, "but she won't figure it out if she doesn't try."

The shorter girl mulled it over. "I don't want Chloé getting hurt," she warned.

Alya shrugged. "Love means getting hurt sometimes, you know. But the rewards are worth it."

Sabrina snorted. "Aren't we all a little young to really know about love?"

"Maybe," the taller girl replied, "but it's never too early to try to find it. Besides, they are both so damn awkward that it really is adorable."

"What about her crush on Adrien?"

Alya shrugged again. "That, I don't know about. But she was definitely interested in getting to know Chloé better. And she thinks Chloé is really pretty."

"Chloé is gorgeous."

"So is Marinette."

Sabrina sighed. "They do look lovely together, Marinette pale and dark, and Chloé blonde with that bronze Mediterranean complexion. Such a contrast, it just enhances the beauty of both of them."

Alya looked at Sabrina critically. "You love her," she said neutrally.

Sabrina shrugged. "Yes, but not in that way. I appreciate the aesthetic, but girls don't do a thing for me, more's the pity. This class is full of quite lovely girls."

"That's truth," the blogger responded. "So answer me this: why do you let Chloé push you around so much? Why do you do her homework?"

The smaller redhead laughed. "She's always had that imperious air about her. And I do her homework because she doesn't need to, and I like the challenge," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

Sabrina laughed again. "Chloé is a genius. The only ones in the class that may be smarter than her are Max and Adrien. And she does do some of her homework, but if she can't finish it in class – which isn't all that common – then I do it. And as for that – if I do half of Chloé's homework, how is it that she's never gotten caught at it?"

Alya thought about it for a moment. "I have no idea," she replied.

"Do you know what I want to be when I grow up?"

The taller girl frowned at the non sequitur. "No?"

Sabrina shook her head in mock disgust. "No one ever pays attention," she replied. "I want to be in law enforcement, like my father, but I'm small, like my mother. So I want to go into forensics. Analysis. One of the things I want to specialize in is handwriting analysis, so I study people's handwriting _a lot_. And, well, I got bored, and so I did one of our assignments in Chloé's handwriting once, just for the fun of it. It wasn't perfect, but then, the professors aren't experts, either. And I've gotten better since then."

"Wait," Alya said as she realized what the girl was saying, "are you trying to say that you forge all of Chloé's assignments in her own handwriting?"

She nodded. "It's fun."

Alya shook her head. "I'd say you are strange, but my idea of fun is running off into fights that smash buildings and destroy landmarks, so I may not be the best judge."

"No kidding."

"So what do you think about the two of them?" Alya asked.

"Honestly?" Sabrina asked, and the other girl nodded. "I think Chloé's had a crush on her since Sixième, and has been too shy and in denial to admit it. It didn't help that her mother left two months into it. As for Marinette, I think she likes everything and everyone. She was the first to accept Juleka and Rose, and she's been very supportive of Nathanael."

Alya looked up at this. "Nathanael is gay?"

Sabrina shrugged. "He doesn't know what he is, he definitely likes Marinette, but he has a crush on some guy in Troisième, and talked to Marinette about it, because she's the sort of person that someone can trust."

"So how do you know about it?"

The shorter girl gave her a flat look. "My dad's a policeman. He taught me to always be observant, and, well…"

"You listened in," Alya accused.

"Well, yes," Sabrina replied, having the grace to look at least a bit embarrassed, "it was by accident though."

"You're terrible."

"Coming from the girl who went through Chloé's trash."

"That was an accident too!" Alya responded hotly.

"I know, but just pointing out that you're a bit of a hypocrite."

"Fine, fine," the taller redhead replied. "Enough talking, if I don't eat, I might die before the end of the day."

"Sounds good. Want to eat together?"

"Might as well." The two walked off together, each hoping that things went well for their best friends.


	3. The Fourteenth

_Dear Marinette,_

 _This is the fourteenth try at writing you. To be fair, thirteen was going quite well. Then I took a bath to order my thoughts, and when I came out of the bath was when Ladybug visited, and somewhere in all that I managed to knock my glass of water all over the letter. I suppose I could just recopy that letter, but that seems to me like cheating, somehow. Besides, things have changed to the better since I wrote that letter, so perhaps a fresh start is best._

 _Thank you for going along with Alya's idea for us to go to lunch together yesterday. I am realizing how much I missed out on, being a prissy princess as I was. Your family is amazing. Your dad is a_ dad _, approachable, kind, wise, and I can tell how much he enjoys teaching you things about his craft. And that you have him completely wrapped around your finger. Your mom is – I have no idea how you can keep coming in late and forgetting assignments, because I would never want to disappoint that woman. I would feel terrible if I disappointed her. I can easily see how much she loves you and supports you, but I can also see that she's definitely the one in charge. I was amazed watching her in just that short time._

 _Also, is that the sort of lunch you eat every day? I would be the size of Ivan if I could eat food like that. It's nothing like food at Le Grand Paris. That's not a jab at Mme. Césaire at all, by the way, but she's a chef at a two star restaurant (which will soon be a three star, I am sure), and as good as the food is, it comes in small portions, and that's what I am used to. Your dad makes a big lunch of delicious food, and the bread, and the muffins – I think I ate more at lunch than I did all day the day before. And I didn't want to stop. Please, can we get lunch together again soon? I'll love you forever_

Chloé gasped and dropped her pen as what she wrote struck her. She had been writing colloquially, but the words resonated. _I'll love you forever_. She'd used similar phrases before, but writing it down, in a letter to Marinette…it was different. Much different. _We've just started to try to be friends. It's just a crush right now. Isn't it?_

"Shit." She turned to grab her phone, then realized she had left it on her nightstand. She got up and pulled her robe tightly around herself. She felt cold this morning, like something was wrong. Maybe it was just everything in her head. She needed to talk to someone about this, and the nosey busybody who set up her lunch date was first on her list. When she picked up her phone, there were already half a dozen messages on it, four from Alya and two from Sabrina. She checked Sabrina's first, and almost dropped her phone. _Adrien kidnapped by a giant gorilla? Gorilla?_ _Oh, shit._

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** It's adriens bodyguard he always calls the man the gorilla because he refuses to tell adrien his name

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Well then, that might be a problem. Ladybug is on the case, but no sign of the black kitty

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** …its not my fault again! I didn't cause the akuma!

 **Bestredheadgirl:** I'm not sure if i am proud that you didn't or annoyed that you're celebrating instead of doing something

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** What can I do? I don't have any superpowers and i'm sure your father will have the rest of it under control. Ladybug doesn't need distraction

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Okay i'm definitely proud. If i find out about anything that happens that doesn't make the news i will let you know

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** You are best redhead girl, Sabrina

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Of course i am. I'm fabulous. Message if you need anything, but i might be a bit busy

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Don't do anything stupid

 **Bestredheadgirl:** That's alya's job, i am totally not doing anything stupid.

Chloé frowned even as her hands trembled with worry. Something was not quite right with that response. She pulled up Alya's message queue.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You never told me how lunch went why are you holding out on me?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Apparently the city is going a bit nuts about the new cologne adrien is promoting. He's been chased around the city all morning, #adreinagreste is trending like crazy

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Okay so not to make you panic or anything but it looks like adrien has been kidnapped by a giant gorilla akuma

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You must still be asleep what is wrong with you Chloé?

Chloé struggled for a moment then reconciled the meaning of the messages. What in the hell, does she think she can send messages like that without explaination?

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** What the hell? I was working on a letter if you must know. Sabrina told me about adrien. You aren't doing your ladyblog thing, are you? She isn't with you, is she?

The response was immediate.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Oh thank god i was beginning to wonder

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** No I'm with rose juleka and Mylène we were supposed to go swimming with marinette but she hasn't shown up. I saw her in a couple of pics with adrien, i can only guess that she got dragged into the shenanigans. He should know by now to use a good disguise if he sneaks out

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Why did you think Sabrina is with me?

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I thought she was being too clever for her own good, but its more likely she was just trying to mess with me. She has gotten much sassier recently

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I don't think that's a bad thing Chloé

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I suppose you're right

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I'm not going to be able to do anything at all until i know adrien and marinette are safe

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Aww that's so sweet

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Shut up i am not in the mood with them being in danger

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** When this is all over can you come see me i need someone to talk to

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Feelings talking?

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Much feelings talking

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Okay it might not be til evening but when i get done with the girls i will come over

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Thank you alya for being a better friend than i deserve

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I'm just trying to make you into the best girlfriend marinette deserves

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Aadflkjgvliaursebfgakj

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Damn it alya i'm to much of an emotional mess right now for your shit okay?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I'm sorry Chloé you're right that was rather mean of me, i know you're worried. It will be okay, ladybug will take care of it

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I know she will but until it's over i will worry

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Try not to think about it, it will be over soon now that ladybug is there. I'll message when it is

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** Thanks alya

Chloé dropped her phone on the bed and flopped backwards next to it. She should turn on the news but whenever something involving adrien happened she just couldn't watch it on the television. If something did happen, she didn't want to have to watch it in real time.

Damn it, she knew that she would end up having to scrap that letter, too. If she tried to write anything today it would be an emotional mess, and she was sure that once she talked with Alya she would have a better feel for what she was thinking. For what she was feeling. God, she was such a mess. She sighed and reached up for a pillow, drawing it down so she could hug it. She hoped this would all be over soon.

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Marinette flopped down on her chaise. It was only 2pm and she was absolutely exhausted. Damned akuma. She sighed and sat up, opening a drawer and pulling out a small pack of cookies. She heard Tikki squeak and then one of the cookies was missing from the box, while the red form of Tikki sat next to the box, munching on the cookie. "Thank you, Marinette!"

Marinette giggled. "No thanks needed, Tikki. We're partners, we take care of each other."

"Speaking of partners…" Tikki began. There was something in her Kwami's tone that Marinette was sure she would come to regret.

"Is this going to be about Chat Noir again?" she asked in resignation.

"What?" Tikki asked. "Oh! No, not that kind of partner, silly."

"Oh thank goodness," Marinette said with a sigh. Then she rewound the reply and thought about it again. "Tikki, what kind of partner _are_ you talking about?"

"Oh, I wanted to talk about Chloé!"

" _WHAT?_ " Marinette half shouted.

Tikki floated up even with Marinette's eyes. "I wanted. To talk. About Chloé."

Something in Tikki's tone gave Marinette pause, and so she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Okay, what about Chloé?"

"You like her," Tikki said, "a lot. And it is bothering you that she thinks you are two different people."

Marinette sighed. "It's not that she thinks I'm two different people. It's that she told something to Ladybug that was a secret, about Marinette. And I feel awful about it, because it feels like a lie. Is think what Alya felt like when she read Chloé's note?" She sighed again. "I have to lie enough as it is, Tikki. I have to keep secrets to protect people. I disappear all the time, I come in late, I look like a total space case. How can I have a real life if I look so unreliable?" Marinette was agitated now. "How can I be a fashion designer? How can I even work in the bakery? How am I ever going to pass all my classes? Or how am I ever supposed to fall in love, if I can't tell anyone about who I really am?" she wailed.

Tikki had started to deflate, but perked right up at the last. "Fall in love?"

Marinette looked at her Kwami, and then ran back over what she had said. "Oh, no, don't start getting ideas, Tikki."

"Oh, Marinette, I think it's sweet," the red Kwami said. "I know that it will be hard, but I'm sure you can…"

"No." Marinette said with finality. "No. I will not do that to Chloé. She really likes me. It was so cute how she was trying to hide it yesterday, but she really, really likes me. Me. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I don't know how I feel about her. Now that she's not being awful, she's actually fun. She knows a lot about fashion, about the structure and the style and what makes things good, and timeless. She's sweet. She's really, really pretty. She's also really, really smart. And she has put her heart out there for me, and if I pull all the usual Ladybug bullshit with her, vanishing and coming up with lame excuses, just when she is trying to open up to me, just when she is coming to accept herself, do you know how much damage I could do? Do you know how much I could hurt her? She's smart enough to see through all the excuses, I'm surprised she hasn't already. She would think I didn't care, that I was playing with her. If she was awful before, what do you think would happen if I broke her heart like that?"

Tikki looked solemnly at her partner. "You really have thought about this, haven't you?"

Marinette shrugged. "I thought about it all long before now. Thought it about Adrien. Maybe that's why I liked the idea of him so much. I liked having a crush, a love from afar, because _Ladybug_ can never have a relationship. She is married to her job."

Tikki's eyes went wide, and she began to shiver. "Marinette, no, don't start thinking like that. You could attract _him_."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Papillion?" Tikki nodded. "Alright. I'll try not to dwell on it. But Tikki, I don't know what I can really do."

Tikki looked at her Ladybug for a long, long moment. "Are you really serious about this?" she asked.

"I'm serious enough to stop it before it begins, rather than breaking Chloé's heart when it falls apart," the blunette girl replied.

Tikki hmmmm'd. "Okay, Marinette. I think…I think we should go see Master Fu again."

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Chloé looked around as she walked down the street. She felt off. She wasn't wearing her favorite jacket, or any makeup. Her hair was pulled back in a half-bun, half-tail mess. She knew she was an emotional wreck. Maybe that was the reason why, when Alya and the girls had found their pool and invited her to join them, she had accepted. She didn't want to sit all alone in her empty suite. The pool was actually fairly close, which made her wonder just how the girls had gotten lost finding it, but she was going to be nice and not mention it. She hadn't been to a public pool in years, and wasn't sure what to expect. As she walked in, the first thing that she noticed was that the smell was…different. It didn't have that awful, acrid chlorine smell. Maybe they had replaced the chlorine with bromine salts, like the pool at the hotel had? She had been worried about the effects of the water on her hair, but maybe it had been for nothing? She should just try and enjoy this. She should just relax, and try to mend some bridges.

She walked into the changing room and saw the girls all waiting for her. "I didn't think you would wait, you should have gotten in," she told them.

Alya looked at the other girls. "I told you," she said.

"What?" Chloé asked.

"Well," Rose said, "she said that you'd say what you did. That we shouldn't have waited on you. She says you're trying to change." She nodded. "And I think so, too. So." The tiny blonde stood up, and walked over to Chloé, holding her hand out. "Hi, I'm Rose Lavillant. I like flower arranging, angels, the color pink, and Juleka." She nodded to the taller girl, then looked back to Chloé. "She's mine, by the way."

Chloé chuckled, and took the girl's hand. "Chloé Bourgeois. I like fashion, the color yellow, being snarky, and Ladybug." She thought about it for a moment, and blushed. "But not like you like Juleka. Wow, wouldn't that be awkward…" she said to the side.

"She's crushing on Marinette," Alya put in.

"ALYA!" Chloé yelled, turning to face the girl. Rose was giggling, though.

"We already all knew, Chloé," Rose said. "You were following her around like a lost puppy when you got back from lunch. It was absolutely adorable."

Chloé folded her arms and grumbled. "I didn't think I was that obvious," she muttered.

"Chloé," Juleka offered in her quiet voice, "Max and Kim noticed. And they are the two most obtuse boys in the whole school. Max, because he's way too into his interests to notice, and Kim because, well…" Juleka paused, not sure how to say it.

"He's dumb," Mylène interjected, and the other girls all turned to look at her. Mylène shrugged. "I'm sorry, but he is. Everyone thinks my Ivan is stupid, but he's not. He's shy, and he's convinced that because he's big, everyone will assume he's not that bright. But he writes all the time, and his poetry is getting better. He's getting more confident." She giggled, then looked at the girls again, her face sobering. "Kim is just a muscle head. Maybe he has a brain, but he doesn't bother to use it. He thinks he can get by on looks and talent, because he doesn't understand that successful athletes have to be smart and dedicated and disciplined. It really makes me angry that people look down on my Ivan, who tries his hardest, and look up to Kim, who doesn't give a damn."

The other four girls looked at Mylène. It was the longest any of them had ever heard her talk, and it was quite passionate. "You really love him," Rose said, a shy, sweet smile on her face.

Mylène nodded. "I do," she said.

"Keep practicing those two words," Alya quipped, "You'll be saying them to him some day."

Mylène looked up at Alya, her eyes going wide, and she turned the most alarming shade of red.

"Alya," Chloé put in, "even I know better than to tease Mylène like that. She might have a meltdown."

Alya nodded. "Sorry, Mylène," she apologized. Mylène nodded, her face still red. The girls picked up their bags, and went further into the changing room. Chloé hadn't really paid attention to the other girls in her class in a long time, and when they came back together in a group, she had a surprise. The first was Juleka; the girl had pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, revealing that the left side of her head was shaved up to about an inch over her ear, but that was secondary in Chloé's mind. Foremost was that when the left side was flipped up, the underside was dyed in a continuous rainbow, from purple at the front, the tips of which could normally be seen, to red at the back, and all the rest of the colors in between. It was striking, and Chloé walked around the girl to look at the other side of her head, but while the side was shaved there as well, there was no riot of color present.

Rose smirked at Chloé, an expression the taller blonde had never seen on the girl's face before, and she said, "Juleka is my girlfriend, Chloé, so don't be making moves on her, or checking her out so blatently."

Chloé blushed, and shook her head. "I didn't mean to, I just…her hair is… _cool_. I'd never be able to wear something like that, even if I wanted to. Daddy would have a stroke." She thought about it for a moment. "I – I'm sor – I'm _sorry_ , if I bothered you, Juleka," Chloé stammered out. She really wasn't used to apologizing.

"Not going to apologize to me?" Rose asked.

"Only if Juleka asks me to," Chloé replied. "She was the one I was looking at – checking out, if you please. If I offended her, it's her business. If you trust her, then you shouldn't be a jealous bitch, Rose." Alya and Mylène both cringed, wondering if there was going to be trouble between the girls, but then Rose laughed, and she bounced forward to hug Chloé.

"I am so proud of you, Chloé!" the tiny girl said. "I set you up, and then baited you, and you responded just about perfectly! You apologized to Juleka, and you told me to push off for a perfectly good reason!" She let the taller girl go, and stepped back. "I'm sorry, too, for testing you like that, Chloé. I really want this new you to be true, but…we have a history. And you…you hurt Juleka. You deliberately excluded her, for petty reasons. I was _absolutely furious_ when you did that. I don't care what you do to me, but if you hurt Juleka like that again, I. Will. End. You." This was said with so much icy fury that no one there doubted that Rose would carry through with her threat. Why Chloé had ever thought of Rose as a mousy pushover, she had no idea. Then the blonde was smiling again, and she grabbed Chloé's and Juleka's hands. "Now, let's go have fun!" She pulled them along, letting go so she could turn around, and as she retook their hand, Chloé had another surprise.

"Rose, is that a tattoo?" The girl was wearing a one-piece with a low, open back, and along either side of her spine were pale, ghostly feathered wings. They looked just like the wings on the back of her favorite shirt.

"Mmhm," Rose replied, nodding.

"Where did you even find a place that would tattoo a fourteen year old? And why did you get them?" Chloé asked.

"Spain," the pixie blonde replied. "Had to get my father to sign off on it, but they will do tattoos that young in quite a few places in Spain. I _wanted_ to get the wingtips done in rainbows, but Daddy said I have to wait for that until I'm old enough not to need him to sign off on it. He doesn't really criticize me, but he really doesn't understand that I love Juleka. That I like girls. He thinks it's just a phase I'm going through, and that as I get older I'll start liking boys instead." She snorted. "I've loved Juleka since I was about six. I knew we would always be together. Even if I had no idea what that meant back then. I was her prince, and she was my princess. And as for why, it's because they inspire me to be strong."

Alya laughed. "I've always pictured you as the more girly of the two of you," she told Rose.

Rose giggled. "I mean, sure, I like pink and all that, which is stereotypical as hell I know, but Juleka has always been the shy, quiet one. I like that people underestimate me. I'm cute, tiny Rose, there's no way that I've been taking Systema since I was eleven and Kenpo since I was seven."

"Damn," Alya said, as the girls reached the poolside. Rose let go of Juleka and Chloé and jumped into the water in a graceful arc.

"I am so glad that her akuma form was Princess Fragrance and not something based on her martial arts. She would have _killed_ me," Chloé said softly. Juleka just nodded.

"Why does she always use your full name?" Alya asked, as Mylène lowered herself into the water.

Juleka gave a soft smile. "Because she thinks a nickname will diminish me, or make me think I'm less than I am. She wants me to be big and bold and as fearless as she is." She looked at her girlfriend with affection as she splashed in the water. "She does call me 'Koi' when we snuggle. It's Japanese for 'Love'. Her Kenpo instructor is a complete anime nerd. He went to Japan because he was a nerd and somehow managed to swing it into a ten-year deal, until he was ranked high enough in Kenpo to move back to France and open his own dojo. He is the most anime man in France, I think," she concluded.

"The things you learn," Alya grinned.

"I had no idea Rose was so colorful," Chloé added. Juleka just nodded, and then she turned and sat down and slid herself into the water.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get Marinette to show up," Alya said softly. "She said after running around with Adrien for a couple of hours – in her pajamas, no less – that she just wasn't up to being in public anymore."

Chloé nodded. "I get it. I always feel like passing out after dealing with an akuma incident. Don't tell anyone, though," she added. She looked more closely at Alya. "Is that a new necklace?" She looked more closely at the hooked pendant. "It's pretty," she added.

Alya nodded, smiling. "It is. I really like it. I feel…stronger somehow, when I wear it."

Chloé smiled back. "If that works for you, I'm glad."

The tall redhead cocked her head. "If you had told me a week ago that I would be having this kind of conversation with you, Chloé, I would have laaaaaaaaughed…"

The blonde nodded. "Oh, I completely understand. I feel the same way. It's still really weird, but…I kinda like it." She smirked. "Don't get used to me being _this_ docile though. It's been a rough day. I'll be back on stride tomorrow."

Alya nodded. "We can talk more later," she said. "For now, let's jump in the water, forget about all this drama, and be normal kids that don't deal with akuma and superheroes and are entangled in confusing feelings."

"I'm all for that," Chloé replied, and the two girls dived in, splashing their classmates and shrieking like they were little girls again. It was just what Chloé needed.


	4. The Fifteenth or The First

_Dear Marinette,_

 _I really, really want to tell you that I like you. A lot. You've been on my mind all the time, recently. So much so that this is the fifteenth letter that I've written to try and talk to you about it. Things happened to the letters. Sometimes I was too silly, sometimes I was weepy and dramatic, and a couple of letters were destroyed by various circumstances. And the one that I wrote in poetic verse was a travesty of language that shall never see the light of day. But in any case, I've tried fifteen times to tell you that like you. I really, really like you. I know it must be strange to hear, after all that time we've been quarreling, but It's true. I know you must have some idea, after we had lunch together, but I was feeling much too self-conscious to say anything. I know, me, not being able to say something? But it's true, because I want things to be better between us. I wasted time that I could have been your friend._

 _You're an amazing person, and for a long time I felt inadequate next to you. You're kind, you're sweet, you're brave, and you're stunning. The day you stood up to me in class, and told me that you, that the class as a whole, refused to take anything more from me, I never felt so small and petty. I was angry, though, angry with everything around me. I was angry with my father, who was too busy with business and politics to be my father. I was furious with my mother, who didn't ever bother to involve herself in my life. I was angry with my father for putting me in public schools while the children of all his adherents were in private schools, because my being in public schools was a better career move for him. I was angry with all the children who had loving families, with all the children who had freedom to do what they wanted to, to be friends with who they wanted to. I was angry with a God that I don't even believe in for taking my best friend's mother away._

 _And so I pushed that anger out, out at everyone, but especially at you, because you had everything that I wanted. Your family is amazing, and when we visited for lunch I couldn't help but feel all the love you have for each other. Your father is a_ dad _, both a paternal figure and a friend to you. Your mother commands respect just by example, but she is still loving and gentle. You have a goal of being a fashion designer, you have friends who love you, and you are one of the most beautiful people, inside and out, that I know. I wanted to have that, and because I didn't, I took all my anger and jealousy and spite out on you._

 _I am so, so very sorry. I've been a terrible person, and it took me a long time to come to understand that. It took a massive scare, being turned into Anti-bug, and a lot of therapy, to start making me into a better person. The medication helps too. But the medication just helps me control my emotions; I still have to make the right decisions. Having control is an amazing thing when you finally have it, when you didn't even know that you didn't have it before._

 _I'm sure that I've been over-sharing, but I want you to understand me better. I make no excuses for the girl I was, but I want you to know that I am doing everything I can to be the girl I am becoming, a girl that I hope you would be proud to call a friend. Or more, so much more. I want to have a place in your heart, as you already have a place in mine. Knowing you has made me a better person. I want to be the person you think I can be, because you can see me to being so much better than I can imagine. You see that Chloé Bourgeois can be a good person. A great person._

 _And I'm falling in love with the girl that can see that. With your lovely blue eyes, that can see so clearly. Please see me now, see that I tell truth to you. Please, give me a chance, Marinette._

 _With all my love,_

 _Chloé Bourgeois_

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Marinette's hands trembled as she finished the letter that Chloé had handed her Monday afternoon. The blonde girl had avoided her most of the day, had even avoided meeting her eyes, and now she knew why. She had poured her heart out in the letter, and Marinette expected that there was nothing more the girl would be able to do until she received a reply.

Marinette's stomach twisted at the thought. She had spent almost all of Sunday talking to Master Fu, about her role as Ladybug, about her increasing loneliness as the lies and secrets continued. About how she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to love someone with such a secret between them. About how she needed help. She realized that now. Just like she had told Alya that the Ladyblog had grown too big for her to manage by herself, fighting Papillion was too big a job now for just herself and Chat Noir. She wanted Rena Rouge to be her teammate. She wanted someone who she could talk to, that understood what being a Miraculous holder meant. And Master Fu had sat quietly through it all, nodding sagely, and let her talk herself out.

Then he asked her if she could give up being Ladybug. And Marinette curled up on herself and sobbed. She didn't want to give up Ladybug, she didn't want to give up Tikki, she loved being who she was. But she afraid that Ladybug was giving up being Marinette. Her personal life was turning into a wreck. She never had enough sleep. She was beginning to have cognitive dissonance between her two identities. And then Chloé had brought all of it into focus, all the flaws and cracks that had been forming. She'd been on call for almost half a year, just waiting for the next akuma attack. They had to succeed, every time. Stress was multiplicative, and she was really, really stressed. If she didn't get a break somewhere, she would end up being a useless mess. And Papillion would win.

Master Fu just nodded, and patted her back. He agreed to let her do what she thought was best regarding the Fox Miraculous. On everything else, he asked her to give him time to reflect on the matter, and to come back in two days. He would have a better answer for her, then. She had made it through the first, somehow, but with this letter in front of her, she wasn't sure how she was going to make it through the second. She did know that she needed to talk to Alya. Or rather, Ladybug needed to talk to Alya. If only she didn't break down and let all of her secrets come spilling out.

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Alya sat in her room, cleaning up the forums on the Ladyblog and wondering what Marinette was thinking. She knew Chloé had spent most of yesterday writing the letter she had handed Marinette. In that moment, she knew that the new Chloé was real, because she knew what the girl wanted to write. They had talked about it for hours after they finished at the pool. She wondered how Marinette was reacting, and was curious that she hadn't gotten a call, or at least a message from her friend.

She heard a tapping at her window, and she looked over to see a solemn-looking Ladybug perched there. Her favorite hero pointed up, and inclined her head slightly. Alya nodded slowly, and then stood up. She sighed, but she knew it had been coming. She rubbed the Fox Miraculous between her thumb and forefinger, then walked out of her room. "Ella, Etta," she called out. The twin terrors looked up from the papers they had spread out on the rug. "I need to step outside for a minute. I won't be very far, so don't get into any trouble. Papa will be home soon enough."

"But, Alya," they both started. She held up her hand.

"You can be good for ten minutes. You don't want to turn into an akuma again, do you? Ladybug might not save you, next time," she chided.

"That's silly, Alya," Etta said.

"Ladybug saves everyone," Ella said.

"If she didn't she wouldn't keep,"

"Saving that bad Chloé girl you,"

"Go to school with. So she,"

"Would definitely,"

"Save us again," Both twins said together, grinning.

Alya gave the pair a stern look. "How about we don't try to find that out, you monsters," she told them.

"Fiiiiiiiiiine," they chorused.

Alya nodded to them, then stepped out of the apartment and quickly went up to the roof. She found Ladybug sitting in the middle of the rooftop, but she hopped up when she saw Alya. The blogger sighed and reached behind her neck, unclasping the necklace she had worn since the Sapotis incident. She knew it was a temporary deal, being Rena Rouge, but she had been hoping against hope that it would be different. She walked over to Ladybug, and held out her closed fist in front of her. The hero looked at her quizzically, but held her hand out, palm up. Alya dropped the necklace into Ladybug's hand.

"This is why you're here, right?" Alya asked huskily. "To take it back?"

Ladybug cocked her head and stared at her intently, as if searching her for something. Alya wasn't sure what she saw, but then she straightened her head and nodded once, but not, Alya thought, in affirmation. "Is that what you want, Alya Césaire?"

Alya's lip quivered, and she shook her head. "No," she whispered. "No, I dreamed of being a hero. I loved being Rena Rouge. I felt like I could finally help people, that I could be something special…"

"Alya," Ladybug said softly, "you are special. You are also crazy, reckless, and foolhardy, but never doubt that you are special. You made me into a hero not just here in Paris, but all over the world. You don't have to be any more special than that."

Alya shuddered. "I know, I know," she whispered, holding in the sobs. "But I wanted to do more, I wanted to help you, Ladybug." She was trembling now, and she almost broke down when the hero hugged her. She sniffled and sobbed into her idol's shoulder, and then wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. "I wanted to help you so much, Ladybug," she whispered. "I wanted to help you so much…I wanted to be a hero…"

"Oh, Alya," Ladybug whispered back. "You are a hero. You are a hero to me. You had a Miraculous in your hands, and you gave it up. That takes a courage that I don't have. I tried once…I can't give it up. No matter how much it hurts sometimes, I can't give it up."

Alya started crying more. "I'm so – so – so – sorry," she blubbered out. "I d – didn't mean to make you feel b – bad…"

"You didn't, Alya, you didn't," Ladybug whispered back, rubbing the taller girl's back. "I am so proud of you that I can't even say." She started to step back, and Alya let her go, falling to her knees, her face in her hands, not wanting her idol to see her in such a state. She could feel the hero stroke her head softly, combing through her hair, coming to stand behind her. Alya felt guilty, but she fell back into the hero, her head resting softly against the taught stomach behind her. The part of her that even now was thinking about the Ladyblog was amazed at how firm the superheroine's abs were, but mostly she just reveled in the contact and the unexpected comfort that Ladybug gave her.

The chill of cold metal fell against her throat, and she gasped, her eyes going wide, and she felt Ladybug's hands behind her neck, fastening the clasp of the pendant's chain. Her hands flew to her neck and she touched the pendant, feeling the now-familiar curl of the Fox Miraculous in her hands. She spun around, looking up at the heroine, not sure what she would see, not sure what she was looking for. She had no words. She searched for any sign of guile, of a ruse. Any sign that Ladybug would take this away again. But Ladybug just knelt down beside her, smiling almost shyly. She leaned in close again, speaking just above a whisper. "You, Alya Césaire, are a hero. And I'm asking you to be more, now. I'm asking you to be my partner. You, me, and Chat Noir. We will protect this city from Papillion. We can't do this by ourselves, Alya. We all need help, sooner or later. Please, Alya, say yes. Be my Rena Rouge. Stand by my side, and fight!" Before Ladybug could say anything more, she was bowled over by a sobbing, smiling girl who was hugging her fiercely.

"Of course, Ladybug. Of course," she replied softly. "I would be honored."

Ladybug nodded. "Trixx, please come out," she said. In a flash, the Kwami burst out of the pendant, bobbing around excitedly. "Trixx, the Guardian has allowed me to choose the holder of the Fox Miraculous. Will you accept Alya as your partner, and fight with her as Rena Rouge?"

Trixx twisted around and giggled. "Of course, Ladybug. I really like Alya. She's warm and snuggly."

"Snuggly?" Alya asked, looking askance at the Kwami as she dried her eyes.

"Snuggly," the fox Kwami asserted.

Alya shrugged. "There are worse things," she said softly. "Is this for real?" she asked, looking up at Ladybug.

"It is, Alya," Ladybug confirmed. "I think you and Trixx should talk and get better acquainted. I go out patrolling around 10pm, unless there was an incident that day. If you wait for me by Le Grand Paris tomorrow night – not tonight, you need time to adjust – I'll find you and we can patrol together, and we can work out a better schedule. If an akuma appears and you are close enough to respond, wait for me or Chat to arrive, unless there is a danger to people. If there is, then try and lead the akuma away. Keep people safe, but keep yourself safe too, please."

"I will, Ladybug. I promise."

"Good," Ladybug said, smiling. "I need to go, Alya." She turned to the floating fox Kwami. "Keep her safe, Trixx."

"I will, Ladybug!"

With that, the red-clad heroine pulled out her yoyo and was off, swinging across the rooftops. Alya watched her go, and realized that she was a mess, and that she had been on the roof longer than ten minutes. "I hope the girls haven't destroyed the apartment," she muttered as she went roof hatch. "Trixx, can you hide in my hair for now?" The Kwami nodded and ducked into the mass of hair behind Alya's neck. Alya giggled as the Kwami's tail tickled her, and she hurried back to the apartment and hoped that a disaster wasn't awaiting her.

LFC LFC LFC

Sabrina sat on the chaise in Chloé's suite, watching as the blonde worked half-heartedly – okay, she was actually just pretending to work half-heartedly – on her history paper. The fact that her best friend continued to glance at her phone every thirty seconds had long ago told Sabrina the current cause of her distraction. "She may need some time to think about it, Chloé," the redhead said.

Chloé looked up at her, startled, and then smiled wanly. She sighed. "I know, I know, this is just hard. It's driving me crazy. I'm scared, Sabrina. What if she just likes me as a friend? It would be wonderful to be her friend, but I think it would break my heart."

Sabrina giggled. "Alya's right, you really went all in once you figured out your feelings, didn't you?"

The blonde pouted. "Meanie!" She stuck out her tongue. "I just…I've never felt like this before, and I really don't want to lose it."

"I understand, Chloé," Sabrina assured her. "It's better if you don't rush it, I think."

"I knoooooooow," Chloé pouted, laying her head down on the table. She jumped suddenly when her phone's message alert went off, the vibration going though the wood to her forehead and right into her brain. "Gah I hate that," she muttered, picking up the mobile. She looked at the sender and blanched. "It's her," she whispered.

Sabrina rolled her eyes despite herself. "Check it then, already."

Chloé stared at the phone for a moment longer. The message alert went off again, and she almost dropped it, then she unlocked the screen and opened up the message even as a third came in.

 **Bakery Klutz:** Your letter was amazing you made me cry but in a good way

 **Bakery Klutz:** I'm flattered that you would share your secrets with me like that i won't tell anyone

 **Bakery Klutz:** I would really like to be your friend chloé

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I am really happy to say i am your friend then marinette

Chloé gnawed on her lip, not sure if she should say more. Then another message came in.

 **Bakery Klutz:** I don't know how to answer the rest yet. I think you are amazing and your words warmed my heart and you deserve an answer as soon as possible

 **Bakery Klutz:** I'm still figuring out my own feelings and i don't want to hurt you so please just give me a little time. Don't think this is a rejection because it isn't i just need a little time. The last thing in the world that i want to do is hurt you chloé

Chloé sniffed, but she nodded in unconscious agreement. Marinette had no guile, if she said it, she meant it. It made Chloé's heart leap that she might have an actual chance.

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** I understand i know it's a lot and that it was probably pretty unexpected but i've been trying to write the letter for weeks and when i had one that i mostly liked i wanted to give it to you before i overthought it. Otherwise it would be another fifteen letters

 **Bakery Klutz:** I understand that so much. I promise you chloé that when i know my answer you will have it in the next heartbeat

"She is such a sap," Sabrina murmured over Chloé's shoulder.

"Damn it Sabrina don't do that. Don't be nosey about stuff between me and Marinette. If she breaks my heart, you can read everything, but otherwise, please…" Chloé looked up at her best friend with her eyes overflowing with emotion.

The redhead sighed. "You are so lucky that I love you, and that you're my best friend," she replied, "or I would never put up with this. God, I hope she answers you soon, I don't know if I can deal with a truly mopey Chloé."

"Hush, you," Chloé said flatly.

 **Ladybugsno1fan:** 3 3 3 my heart beating waiting

 **Bakery Klutz:** You are such a dork chloé how did i not know this? I have to go but talk later 3 3

Sabrina snorted in disgust. "You two deserve each other," she snarked, but spoiled it with another giggle.

"Hey, no reading over my shoulder!"

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Tuesday morning found Juleka sitting at her desk reviewing her assignments when she felt a pair of slender but firm arms wrap around her shoulders and then squeezing warmly. "Good morning, Rose," she said in her usual quiet tone. Rose released her and popped around to take her seat. Juleka wasn't quite sure how Rose managed to sneak up on her when they sat in the top row, but she put it down to Rose's mysterious martial arts powers. "How was your evening?" she asked her girlfriend.

Rose shrugged. "Mom called, she's going to be stuck in Japan at least another two weeks, filming is running over, and they lost one week when the co-star vanished for four days."

Juleka looked up in interest. "So did they figure out where he was? Or did he just come back on his own?"

"Came back on his own. They still have no idea where he was for the whole time," Rose replied, but she had a smug grin, the kind that told Juleka that her girlfriend knew something.

"Just say it, Rose, whatever evil little secret you know," she told the little blonde.

"Weeeeeeeell," Rose drawled with a grin. "I happen to know that he has a secret social media account, and he was posting pictures the whole four days."

Juleka frowned for a moment, then relaxed and nodded. "This is the guy you met when you were doing kata on set, when your mom wanted you to see what her work is actually like."

Rose nodded. "I already knew that Assistant to the Director is not a glamour job. Otherwise mom would be home more. But yeah, he does a bunch of his own stunts, and was impressed with my martial arts acumen, so we talked a little. We chat a little, he likes having a friend that doesn't care who he is, and I like having an adult who will actually answer questions without treating me like a kid. Like, I know I'm tiny and cute but I'm fourteen, not ten."

"So where was he?" Juleka indulged her girlfriend.

"Nagano. Skiing. The production company would kill him if they knew, it's disallowed in his contract. Mom would kill him."

The taller girl smiled. "So I'm sure you know nothing, then?"

The blonde nodded. "Nothing at all. I'm amazed at how much nothing I know, sometimes."

Juleka giggled, but immediately smothered it. She _hated_ how she sounded when she giggled. "So," she asked, softer than before, "what's going on with Marinette and Chloé, then?"

Rose batted her eyes. "Why, Juleka, are you asking me for _gossip_?"

"Quiet, you," came the reply. "I just want to know what kind of nothing you know about it. Marinette is a friend."

Rose frowned. "I'm not sure, honestly. Chloé has finally let out all that repression and is completely lost over Marinette, but we already knew that, kind of. Marinette is harder to read. She has many layers, our Marinette. She really likes Chloé, but something is holding her back. Not Adrien, something else."

Juleka looked around, then leaned in closer. "Do you think it could be _that_ something?"

Rose looked around both ways, then leaned even closer. "You mean the thing that we try not to talk about around other people? The thing about how our class has had more akuma than half of Paris, and that almost everyone has been one? _Almost_ everyone?" Juleka nodded. "It's possible. "I could see how dating could be hard if that were the case. Which it isn't because it isn't something that anyone should know, and we aren't going to talk about it anymore, are we, Koi?"

Juleka grinned and leaned her head on top of her girlfriend's. "What were we even talking about?"

"Exactly."

The pair watched Marinette rush into the classroom, with a color-swap of her favorite outfit: dark gray shirt with her favorite sakura print, paired with a white jacket, and the usual pink jeans. "Does she make all her clothes?" Juleka asked quietly. Rose nodded.

"Most of them, anyway," the pixie blonde said. Just then, Chloé walked into class wearing her usual style, but with hair still down; Marinette looked up as she did, the pair locking eyes for a moment. Both blushed intensely, and then both looked away, Chloé rushing to her desk. "There is definitely something there," she added. "Alya should smack both of them." Then Alya walked into the room, and…Rose sat up straight and then leaned forward, focusing on Alya. _Something_ was different today. There was something different in her bearing today. Less cocky, more quiet confidence? Something like that. The class had been all _kinds_ of interesting lately. Rose couldn't wait to see what she found out next. That was the nice thing about being small. No one ever noticed when you were there.

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé was sitting on a park bench when she heard the sound of footsteps, and looked up. She saw Marinette and Alya walking toward her. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. At first she had thought that the blunette had an answer for her, but then why was she inviting Alya along? Having Marinette's best friend along was not a romantic-making thing. Today had been a mess. Her stomach had been in knots all day, and she and Marinette had avoided each other. That had thrown the whole chemistry of the class, which had just been settling back down, completely off. Kim and Alix had gotten into the worst argument they had had all year, Ivan accidentally made Mylène cry, and Rose and Juleka had been giving her and Marinette both 'fix-this!' looks all day. How was Chloé supposed to fix the rest of the class when she was still working on herself and Marinette? God, she hoped that _something_ changed tonight, she was a right mess. She shook herself slightly and then hopped up, putting what she hoped was her best smile on, but she knew she was faking it, and it was better not to try. Instead, she grinned gently, and just watched Marinette walk. When she wasn't tripping over something she had a very elegant way of moving. Chloé would be happy to watch those legs move all day. She hadn't known that she liked legs that much until she started watching Marinette. Or maybe she just liked Marinette's legs? Oh, god, they are getting close. "Hi Marinette, Alya," she said in what was close to what was becoming her new normal tone. Still confident, but without the snide overtones.

"Evening, Chloé," Alya said. "What's up?"

Chloé gave Alya a look. "I don't know, Marinette told me to meet you two." They both looked at the pale, blue-haired girl standing between them. Marinette squirmed, and the other girls flashed back to the beginning of the year, before Marinette first stood up to Chloé, before Ladybug, before _anything_. It bothered Chloé to see Marinette like that, and Alya didn't much look like she liked it either.

The blonde reached out a hand and took Marinette's in her own. "What's wrong, Marinette?"

Marinette closed her eyes for a moment, and her lips moved without making a sound, then she inhaled sharply. "Just give me another moment, please?" she asked, and though she couldn't see it, both girls nodded. Finally, those bluebell eyes snapped open, and their owner nodded sharply. "Walk with me?" she asked, and the three started down the walking path. The trio walked quietly for perhaps a minute, and then Marinette broke the silence.

"For a long time I thought I was in love with Adrien. He's lovely, and he's nice. And he's safe. I adore him, but he's – and I'm sorry Chloé, because I know you're good friends with him, too – he's kind of boring. I know it isn't really his fault, he's just learned to suppress his emotions, because his father is less of a father than yours is – again, sorry Chloé – but I _need_ that emotional connection!" She turned and walked backwards, looking at both her friends, then thought better of it and turned back around, before she tripped. "I want passion! I want a lavish, spendthrift, unabashed excellence in my love affair. I want someone who lights up the room at the sight of me, and I want them to make me feel the same way." Alya looked over at Chloé to see what she was making of this, but the girl's rapt attention was on Marinette.

Marinette took a deep breath and let it out. "Maybe I judge all of my relationships now based on my friendship with Alya. We don't keep many secrets from each other, and we're never afraid to show emotion. I want that in my romance, I don't want a cute, quiet love like Juleka and Rose. I want someone who will tackle me to the ground and kiss me, I want someone who will shout in the streets that they love me, I want-" Marinette was cut off as she was spun around by Chloé, and the blonde put a hand behind Marinette's head and pulled her into a gentle, luxuriant kiss. Marinette fell against the girl and molded against her body, letting herself be kissed, letting Chloé take charge for a moment, before she stood up and stepped away, blushing intensely. She looked at Chloé, started to say something, stopped, started again, stopped and finally threw up her hands. "Damn it, Chloé, you made me completely lose track of what I was saying!" She put a hand to her lips. "Not that that wasn't completely lovely, and yes, that's exactly how I want to be kissed – sorry you had to see that, Alya – but I still need to explain things, because I have to – damn it!" Marinette grabbed Chloé by the shoulder, ran her fingers into the girl's loose blonde hair, and pulled her in for a fierce kiss. She nipped at the girl's lip just before stepping back, and then took a deep breath to settle herself, turning away for a moment. Alya was barely holding in the laughter. It might be a bit awkward to watch, but she was enjoying this immensely. The trio began to walk again.

Finally, Marinette was ready to continue, and she turned to face the pair again. She turned and pointed at Chloé. "No more of that right now, please. Later. Maybe. Probably. Stop grinning like a loon, Chloé," she said. "You," she pointed at Alya, "I love you Al, but please keep your busybody instincts away from me. I have way too much going on without you adding complications. Or start the wheels spinning and then _let them spin_. Don't go speeding them up every time you walk past. Some people take _time_ to decide things, and when you rush them, they have a nervous breakdown. Or almost have one." She glared at her best friend, who at least looked ashamed for her part in things. "Thank you thank you thank you for putting things in motion, but you don't need to be a puppet master. You'd think you'd had enough of that – sorry, that was a bitchy thing to say, but I'm a bit exercised." Chloé would agree, but she also thought that Marinette looked radiant. Marinette looked best when she was getting passionate about something. She understood _exactly_ what the girl – her girl? – was saying.

"So for the last two days I was going almost completely out of my mind, trying to make everything in my life fit together, because you two lunatics have no idea what you were getting yourselves into, and I almost gave up _everything_ because I was so tired of being alone and afraid and having secrets of such import – secrets that I had no one to help carry the burden of – but the thought of giving things up was even worse, and…just…" They had come to a rather secluded part of the park. Marinette looked from one girl to the other, and back. "I was so afraid I was going to hurt you Chloé, when that was the furthest thing from my mind, and so I fought and argued and demanded and threatened and finally I made things work out, and…and all I have to do is just do it, but it will change everything, but I need to do this, I _have_ to do this, or I'll never have anything, and I can't bear that. I can't bear it." Chloé was completely confused now, and she looked at Alya, who looked the same. The taller redhead shrugged, and they both looked at Marinette.

"We're ready when you are, Marinette," Alya said softly.

"We'll wait as long as you need, Marinette," Chloé told the girl she cared so much about.

All the tension drained out of Marinette, and she smiled softly at them. She walked over and gripped her best friend in a fierce hug, and Alya was struck with just _how strong_ Marinette was these days. Then Marinette moved slowly over to Chloé, blushing slightly, and Chloé solved the matter by pulling her in for a kiss again. Marinette ran her fingers through Chloé's hair, stroking and tangling it, and then the blonde felt those hands slip something into her hair – a comb? Marinette stepped back, and gave both a blazing smile at both of them. "I'm ready now. No more secrets. I'm sorry I took so long, Chloé. I'm sorry that it was a bit unfair, but I hope you won't hold it against me. And Alya, I would trust you with my life, but before now, I couldn't trust you with this." She reached out and tapped Alya's pendant. "Trixx!" She spun and tapped Chloé's comb before Alya could begin to react. "Pollen!" Alya and Chloé had just enough time to see two blurs – one yellow, and one that was, to Alya, a familiar orange – appear before Marinette spoke a third time. " _Tikki_!" A red blur appeared – all three blurs resolved into little, floating sprites – and then she took a deep breath. Chloé started to speak, and Alya's eyes were full of disbelief, and they both had just started to say something when the blunette shouted, " _Transform us!_ " Light erupted around all three girls.

And then, _everything_ changed.


	5. The Short and Sweet Second

It was warm and comforting and peaceful. She had never felt more alive, as her body filled with a new and strange power. It was exhilarating, and she was afraid if she opened her eyes, it would all be a dream. It was a dream that Marinette – _her Marinette_ – was Ladybug, and that her hero, her idol, had given her something that would let her fight by her side. A dream that she would never be alone. A dream that she was worthy of such trust, such an honor. She trembled slightly. She felt fire in her face as she realized that she had confessed to _Marinette_ that night, when Ladybug came to visit. And then she realized that _Marinette_ had told her all those things, had come to see her to let her know that she was proud of her. Everything suddenly made so much sense, and she realized that Marinette had been bursting to tell her, that she was ready to give up being Ladybug if she couldn't share her secrets, and Chloé began to cry. Ladybug wanted her as her partner. Marinette wanted her as her partner. It was all so sudden, so rushed, but she knew that Ladybug had guarded her identity zealously, that if she shared that secret, then Marinette wanted Chloé in her life _forever_. Even if they didn't become lovers, they shared a secret that bound them closer than lovers could ever be. Tears dripped down her face, and she felt two strong arms wrap around her. She could feel the real power in those arms now, the fierceness of the hug, and she returned it with force.

"Did…did you not want this?" she heard Ladybug's voice whisper. "I was so sure…I'm sorry I made you cry…"

"No!" Chloé exclaimed, opening her watery eyes. Ladybug was a blur, but Chloé didn't care. "I'm crying because I'm so happy! I'm so honored! I'm crying because I love you and I was afraid you were going to tell me we couldn't be together, and instead you tell me something so incredible!" She pulled Ladybug in close again, resting her head in the crook of the heroine's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…" she whispered. "Thank you for your trust, Ladybug – Marinette."

"Call me Ladybug when we transform. You can't make a mistake, not even once," the girl warned quietly. "That's why we kept it a secret, even between each other, so that we couldn't make a mistake. I just…I couldn't do it alone any longer. I needed – _Marinette needed_ – your help."

"Can I just say something?" Rena Rouge asked from where she stood to the side.

"Of course," Ladybug replied.

"You are such a _sneaky_ bitch, that I'm honored to know you. I thought I knew everything about you, and you hid this from me. You hid this from _me_ ," Rena said. She stepped over and punched Ladybug in the shoulder. "That's for keeping it a secret," she said, and then she wrapped both girls in a hug. "And that's for trusting me now."

The three stepped apart, and Ladybug looked at them both. "Thank you both for not completely freaking out."

"Oh, I'll do that later," Chloé said. "It's too much like a dream." She looked down at herself, seeing yellow and black, and looked up at Ladybug. "Am I _bee_ themed?" The heroine nodded, and Chloé giggled. "What's my name, then?"

"Queen Bee," Ladybug said with a grin. "The Guardian and I thought it appropriate. And Tikki and Trixx both approved of you."

Queen Bee couldn't help herself, she giggled. "Oh, god, it's so fitting." She grinned, and it was a grin full of mischief. "Don't bees communicate by wiggling their butts?" She gave a shimmy to punctuate her point.

"Oh. My. God, Bee," Rena exclaimed. "Do _not_ flirt with Ladybug right now. We have too much to learn." The other girl stuck out her tongue, and then both turned to Ladybug.

"You're the leader, Ladybug, what do we do?" the girl in yellow and black asked.

"The first mission you have," her idol told her, "is to protect me from Chat Noir when we tell _him_ about all of this. He'll be dramatic. When we tell him that you and I…" she mulled over how to say it for a moment, then nodded. "That you and I are girlfriends." She paused for a moment, then ducked her head, before looking up shyly. "If that's what you want."

Bee almost tackled Ladybug in a hug. "Of course I want that!" She leaned in for a quick kiss. "Should we get to it, then?"

"Please," Rena said. "I can't take all the cuteness of you two right now." Both stuck out their tongues at the Fox Warrior, and then Ladybug stepped back and started walking back down the path they took. "Follow me!" she shouted, and then broke into a run. As they exited the park, she leapt to the closest rooftop, and after a moment's hesitation, Queen Bee and Rena followed. The pair each had a thought echoing in their head. _I can do this_.

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Marinette walked into class the earliest she had in months. Having help patrolling had allowed them to cover the ground much more quickly, and she was able to get home an hour and a half earlier than she usually did. Unfortunately, Chat Noir hadn't answered when she called, so he had probably been kept in by something happening in his normal life. It happened from time to time. She looked around, and only saw Nathanael in the class, sitting at his desk and sketching something, as was his wont. He looked up and nodded, but then went back to his work. She looked around, unsure of what she should do this early. Maybe catch up on her duties as the class representative? That sounded like a good idea.

She started to walk to her desk when Juleka and Rose walked in, and she waved to them. Rose's eyes went wide, and she gave Marinette a wicked grin, but she followed her girlfriend up to their seats. She giggled, and then walked to her desk. She was just sitting down when Chloé walked in, her hair held back with combs on both side. The left was the Bee Miraculous, and the right was something colorful. As her girlfriend got closer, she realized that it was a subdued rainbow, and she giggled again. Chloé kept walking, stepping up the risers, and she stopped in front of Marinette's desk. She blushed and ducked her head, then looked up, smiling softly, and pulled a letter out of her bag, handing it over. Marinette took it and looked at it. It was folded in thirds, with a honey-gold wax seal holding it closed. The seal was embossed with a honeycomb pattern, and she quirked an eyebrow.

"What?" Chloé asked. "I like honeybees."

"Because of course you do," the blunette said with a smile. She slipped a finger under the paper's edge and popped the wax seal, and opened the letter. It was quite short, and she gave the blonde another look before starting to read.

 _Dearest Marinette,_

 _Kiss me like that always._

 _I love you so much,_

 _Chloé~_

 _P.S.: I would love it if we could go out for coffee after school. I just want to spend time with you. One kiss for no, two kisses for yes~_

Marinette looked at the blonde. "You are going to be so much trouble," she murmured, and then she leaned in. The first kiss was gentle and sweet, but it allowed her to slide her hand into Chloé's hair at the back of her head, and the second buss was firmer, with a quiet passion. She nipped the girl's lip when she leaned back, and giggled again when Chloé had to catch herself on the desk to keep from falling. Chloé had started to glare at her girlfriend when Rose's squeal interrupted her, and the pixie blonde appeared between them hands flat on the desk, her head looking back and forth between the pair a few times.

"You did it!" she said to Chloé.

"Marinette did it," the taller blonde replied.

Rose swiveled to look at Marinette. "Really?" she said with a quizzical tone.

Marinette nodded. "I did. Don't make a big deal about it, please Rose?"

The smaller girl waved a dismissive hand. "If that's what you want, that's fine." She looked around the room, and grinned wickedly again. "I just realized something! Right now we have a queer quorum!"

"A what?" Chloé asked.

"Me, Juleka, You, Mari, and Nathanael," was the reply. The redhead artist looked up, rolled his eyes at Rose, and went back to his sketching.

"You aren't going to hand out membership buttons, are you, Rose?" the boy said without looking up again.

Rose giggled. "I was thinking more of a tasteful pin," she replied, but her tone made it clear she was kidding.

"I'd wear a bracelet," Juleka quietly said from her seat.

"How about we table the idea of membership cards right now," Marinette said, "and just get together for lunch once a week. Maybe Thursdays?"

"Thursdays are nice," Nathanael said, and the others nodded in agreement. The matter settled, Rose moved back to her seat, and Chloé sat next to Marinette and checked over her assignments while her girlfriend reviewed her outstanding duties as representative. The quintet sat quietly, each going about their own business, and waited for the arrival of their friends and the beginning of the day.

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Adrien walked into class with a smile. The day was nice, and because he had had a late-night shoot last night, he didn't have anything except his fencing lesson on his schedule today, and that was hardly a burden. He looked around, and was only mildly surprised to see Chloé sitting with Marinette. His friend looked up and noticed him, and she hopped up and gathered her things, then started to walk down toward him. Then she paused, turned, and leaned in to kiss Marinette's cheek. The she swung back around and bounded down the steps to him, her smile almost blinding.

"You finally asked her?" the boy asked with a grin in his quiet tone.

Chloé shook her head. "She asked me!" she said in a hushed voice.

"Oh really? I'm happy for you, Chloé," Adrien replied. "And I'm happy that you've found a way to be content with yourself."

The blonde gave a soft smile. "I really am," she said. She looked up as Alya rushed in, a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Have you looked at the Ladyblog today?" the redheaded girl asked.

"Should I have?" Chloé asked slowly.

"Yes!" Alya burbled. "One of my site regulars emailed me a pic, and it's big big news!"

Chloé stared at the blogger for a moment, then pulled out her phone and hit her bookmark for the page. It opened, and her eyes went a bit wide. It was a shot of Ladybug, Queen Bee, and Rena Rouge standing on a street corner in a triangle, each with a hand in the center, and overlapping. Chloé remembered the moment, they had just finished patrolling, and right before they split, Alya had put her hand in, and egged them on to join her. She had rolled her eyes, but joined in the silly moment, and then they went their separate ways. It was a good pic. The caption read, _The Fox Warrior returns! A new Miraculous holder appears!_ There wasn't much detail, just some wild speculation, and Chloé was more than impressed. Alya's usual enthusiasm was clearly evident, without the slightest hint that she knew anything new. The speculation was actually rather far afield. She felt someone looking over her shoulder, and glanced to see Adrien perusing the article as well. He looked a bit odd, but the he smiled, and she thought that it might have been her imagination.

"That's great!" he said. "Maybe with this many of them, Papillion will finally get the idea and just go away."

Alya started to speak, caught herself, and then gave an abashed smile. "I was about to say, 'but then what would I write about,' but really, Papillion is a threat to everyone. Although, have you noticed people being much more polite recently? It's amazing how knowing that your bad attitude could cause an akuma attack has made people think about how they act more. Unintended consequences?"

"I've noticed, and I'm not complaining. I just hope it spreads to some of my fans. They're just as rabid as ever," Adrien said ruefully.

"Oh, it's so hard being a famous model," Alya quipped.

"You have no idea," Adrien laughed. The warning bell rang, and all three proceeded to their seats. Mme. Bustier came in, and soon classes had begun.

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 **Mari'sGirl started a chat with Mlle. Ladyblog**

 **Mari'sGirl added Bakery Klutz to the chat.**

 **Mari'sGirl:** I made a new message account. The other seemed a little embarrassing now

 **Mari'sGirl:** Alya did you set that picture up?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** No actually

 **Bakery Klutz:** Don't say the words in chat you two. And i didn't think it was that embarrassing

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Of course not

 **Mari'sGirl:** I would never. And that's because you haven't been gushing about your hero worship and believing you were a heroine's best friend when she's actually right in front of you asdkjgbakjsb

 **Bakery Klutz:** Chloé you are a gooey marshmallow, i love your new name but really

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I think its adorkable. Why isn't there a space before girl?

 **Mari'sGirl:** Because there are apparently too many lesbian girls named mari on this messenger app

 **Bakery Klutz:** Actually i think i'm technically bi? Or maybe pan. Can you be demi bi, or demi pan? Because the only two people that have excited me that way at all are Chloé and adrien.

 **Mari'sGirl:** Leaving me already? I am heartbroken

 **Baker Klutz:** I said have excited me you drama queen, not do excite me. You are completely impossible

 **Mari'sGirl:** You can apologize with kisses later

 **Bakery Klutz:** Always~

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Wow, Chloé, your ears turned red. What's that about

 **Bakery Klutz:** She gave me the cutest letter earlier. It said kiss me like that always

 **Bakery Klutz:** 3 3

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** You are both completely ridiculous. I've helped to create a monster i am sorry paris

 **Bakery Klutz:** Shush

 **Mari'sGirl:** Shush

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Mean

Alya looked up from her phone. She might get diabetes from those two; she hoped that the fluffy saccharine phase didn't last two long before they settled into more demure displays of affection. She didn't hold up much hope, though. They were both very passionate, so she didn't think it was going to dull anytime soon.

She checked the blog quickly and then let out a repressed sigh. She was going to have to get help for the Ladyblog. Now that she was going to be Rena full time, there was no way for her to possibly cover everything she had in such detail. She hated it, but she knew that she really had to. Just as Marinette needed help as Ladybug, Alya needed help with the Ladyblog. It was getting too big for her to maintain on her own. She needed page moderators, and a couple videographers. And she had no idea how to convince them to work for free, because she had no way to pay them. She did _not_ want the Ladyblog to fall apart because she couldn't give it as much attention anymore. For one, it might point to her being Rena. For another, she didn't want to think about how people would view her if she suddenly let the page fall apart due to a lack of time. She wanted this to be her career, and neglect would be a sure way to sink her chances. This was way too much for someone her age to have to think about it. No wonder Marinette was such a ball of stress.

She sighed again. She'd have to start putting feelers out. Or maybe start with a couple volunteer mods, and then look for someone with an eye for video. She might be able to convince Sabrina be a mod. Wait, no, she was too close to Chloé. Maybe Nino? Alix would have the attitude to do it, too, and she was already a user. Hmmm. Either way, it could wait til tomorrow. Tonight, she had to meet Chat Noir as Rena Rouge. And Chloé had to meet him as Queen Bee. Somehow, she thought that _that_ introduction might be a bit rough. But they would get through it. They were partners. They would always have each other's backs.

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Chat Noir ran across the rooftops, his staff flicking out and extending, vaulting him over a wide gap, and he landed in a rollout and then was back on his feet running, sliding down a metal roof and leaping to the next. He bounced between several chimneys, never touching the surfaces of the roofs they stood above, and then launched himself into open air. He fell for a second, dropping halfway to the street, before his staff flicked out again and launched him into a high ballistic arc. He heard the wind whistling past his ears and he reveled in the feeling of freedom it brought.

He settled into a more measured pace as he took up one of his regular routes, following it almost by muscle memory, and thought about the meeting he was heading to. Rena Rouge was back, and now there was a new girl, and he was unsure about how he felt. For half a year it had been just him and Ladybug, and that was going away. He welcomed the help; there had been too many times when he couldn't transform because of his circumstances at the time, and knowing that Ladybug now had backup besides himself put him at ease. But the dynamic between them would change. He enjoyed their banter, and loved the freedom to spout off the worst puns he could come up with (he spent time in class thinking up new puns all the time), and he wasn't sure how their new partners would react. Despite everything that had changed for him after he had become Chat Noir, deep down he was still painfully shy and awkward.

The TVi building was always a good place to meet up; the roof was fairly secluded, and with only one access, and with no real need for anyone to access it except for maintenance or to change the billboards, it was extremely private. It was a good place to rest during a patrol, and he and Ladybug had spent more than one evening sitting on that roof doing just that. He alighted on the roof, and saw Ladybug, Rena, and the new girl all standing close to the back of the center billboard. He grinned despite himself. He might regret the loss of the intimate camaraderie of their partnership, but he had to admit that all three girls were lovely. Chat Noir would be the envy of Paris, being partnered with such comely ladies. He waved, and Ladybug gave a short wave back, then gestured for him to come closer. He bounced over and sat on the concrete ledge that the billboards were mounted on. "Good evening, my lady, how has your night been thus far? Mine has been paw-sitively purr-fect."

Ladybug just shook her head, but the girl in yellow groaned slightly. "Two puns at once?" she asked no one in particular, "I didn't believe you at first, but now I think you may have undersold it."

"She's just jealous of my ability to find a pun for almost any situation," the black-clad hero replied.

The girl in yellow started to say something, but Ladybug put a hand on her arm. "Bee, responding just encourages him. We have other things to talk about, we can come up with a proper pun-ishment later." Chat groaned, but he knew he had set himself up for that; it was one of the few that Ladybug would use regularly, but she would use it to good effect. "Chat Noir, I would like to introduce you more properly to Rena Rouge," and the Fox Warrior gave a slight bow with a flourish, "And to introduce you to Queen Bee."

Chat popped up and bowed deeply, then flopped back to sit once again. "The Guardian has released the Miraculous to them?" he asked.

"He has," Ladybug replied. "I made a…very persuasive argument for it." She sighed. "We needed help, Chat. _I_ need help. I was so overwhelmed with everything…I was ready to break down." She paused and took a deep breath, and then continued. "I was ready to quit, Chat," she said softly, "all the secrets and lying to my friends, and the effect it was having on my schooling and my personal life, and never being able to truly relax, because Papillion is always looming over the city – I was having to choose between being Ladybug and being…well, that's something we need to talk about, too, Chat." She sighed again and sat down next to him. "I had to make a choice for myself, Chat. I didn't want to give up being Ladybug, but the idea of going on all alone, with no one to share with, with no one who understood – I couldn't bear it." She sniffled. "So I chose. No more secrets, Chat. Not between us. You, and I, and Rena, and Bee, we're all that each other has. No one else understands. No one else can, unless they hold a Miraculous."

Chat sat up rigidly straight. "You mean…masks off?"

Ladybug nodded. "No more hiding, kitty. You need to know who we are, before anything else we say might make sense."

The bad-luck warrior nodded in agreement. "So, how do we do this?"

Rena stepped forward. "Trixx, release!" she said, and her transformation fell away, and Chat goggled as Alya Césaire was revealed before him.

"Pollen," Bee said quietly, stepping forward, "release me." Golden sparkles flew as the mask melted away, and _Chloé_ was revealed. He knew his oldest friend had changed, but to be found worthy of a Miraculous…he was so damn proud of her! Then his throat caught, and he made the connection, even before Ladybug stepped forward, her disguise falling away in drops of red light. _Alya, Chloé, and…Marinette_.

Shit.

"Hello, Chat," Marinette said softly. "I'm sure this explains so much to you, from how many times we've crossed paths, but to formally introduce myself, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. My Kwami is Tikki." The little red Kwami waved.

"Alya Césaire, I run the Ladyblog." She frowned. "I'm still figuring out how to do that, now. My Kwami is Trixx." The fox Kwami spiraled around her before diving into her hair.

"I know you know who I am," Chloé told him, "but I would be pleased if you would give me another chance to prove myself. I'm changing, and I'm going to keep working at it. Chloé Bourgeois. Pollen is my Kwami." The yellow Kwami rubbed his head against her cheek, and she smiled softly.

The trio looked at him expectantly, and he sighed, trying not to show the bitterness he felt at that moment. "I already knew your names," he said resignedly. "Claws in, Plagg," he said, and shadowy light fell away, revealing Adrien's face to the three girls. Shock registered on all three, but Chloé was the first to actually respond.

"God damn it, Adrien!"

Half an hour later, things were much more settled. As they didn't have to get to know each other, instead they talked about patrol patterns, alternating days, and ways to help cover for each other. Adrien still felt rather crestfallen, and he was surprised when Chloé stepped up and hugged him. "Adrien, I'm sorry that you're feeling heartbroken right now," she whispered to him, "and if there was a way, I would do anything to help you. But I love Marinette so much. It's wild and crazy and I can barely catch my breath, but _I love her_. I fell for her completely, she's everything I want in life, and her being Ladybug just makes everything about her shine that much stronger." She hugged him more fiercely. "Maybe it was luck, maybe it was fate, I don't know. I didn't try to make _Ladybug_ fall in love with me, I just wanted _Marinette_. And somehow I won both, without even knowing how." She stepped back, but kept her hands on Adrien's shoulders. "It isn't fair, but life isn't fair. I think you still are so lucky, Adrien. You have amazing friends, and even if Ladybug doesn't love you, Marinette thinks of you as one of her best friends. You have an amazing partner in Ladybug, you know. And she trusts you with her life. _I_ trust you with her life." She stepped back and sighed. "Though I have to say, only the pair of you could possibly have such a screwed up love – it's not a triangle, is it a square? – a love polygon of some shape or form. Chat likes Ladybug, Marinette likes Adrien, Ladybug doesn't like Chat _because_ she likes Adrien, and Adrien doesn't notice Marinette _because_ he likes Ladybug. Good god, it makes my head hurt."

"Shush, you," Marinette told her girlfriend as she walked past her and pulled Adrien into a hug. "I'm sorry, Adrien," she said softly, "I tried for so long to catch your attention – this would be funny if it wasn't so heartbreaking. If Chloé hadn't come along, if she hadn't become a person I could care for, then maybe Chat would have gotten his Lady. But we can't live by what-ifs. I love Chloé, I fell head over heels for her. She was in my heart before I realized, and now that she's there, I don't ever want her to leave. I know I'm young, but some days I feel so old. Being Ladybug, being the only ones between Papillion and some evil only he understands – I feel like I'm older than the stars. I had to grow up. We all had to grow up. We became heroes. Chloé saw the dark, ugly part of her soul, and it terrified and disgusted her. Alya came to understand her obsession, and she's still coming to terms with how to deal with it, with how to let control go and to ask for help. We're none of us children anymore, Adrien. I know that this isn't a crush, isn't an infatuation. She makes me whole. But I will always, always be your bugaboo, mon chaton. We were the first. You will always be my partner, Chat Noir. That will never change. We are creation and destruction, favor and misfortune, the two sides of the coin." She kissed him very gently on the cheek, and then stepped back. Chloé stepped up to hold her hand, and Alya rolled her eyes.

"As for me, kitty," Alya said much more loudly, "I'm just happy to have a partner that isn't one of these saps. In fact, I think that kitty and I should do one half of the sweep, and the insect ladies can do the other half." Adrien laughed despite himself.

"To be fair," he said, "they are two of the sharpest dressing insects. Red and Black, and Black and Gold? That's sharp. That's fashionable. I should know, I'm a model!" He gave the pair a cheesy grin, wagging his eyebrows, and the tension that had hung over the group since the reveal shattered. He smiled. He hurt, but he still had his friends. He knew the truth, and that was worth the heartache. He could do this.

"Hey, want to see a pretty cool trick?" Marinette said suddenly.

"Um, sure?" the Cat Warrior said. Marinette looked at the other two, and they grinned. Alya leaned in slightly, and Chloé turned her head slightly to one side. Marinette grinned wickedly, and grasped Adrien's hand – the one with his Miraculous – and pulled it up in front of his chest. "Here we go!" She reached out and tapped his ring, and called out, "Plagg!" then her finger danced in and tapped Chloé's hair comb, and Alya's pendant, crying out "Pollen!" and "Trixx!" as she did so, then her hand came up and brushed her earring, and she shouted out, "Tikki! Transform us!"

She was right, it was damn cool trick.

They all stood looking at each other in their hero guises, and Chat Noir felt in that moment that they really were a team, for the first time. Despite his heartache, things were good. Then Rena groaned.

"Damn it, Trixx!" she spat.

"What's wrong, Rena?" Ladybug asked.

"I just figured out something that Trixx said," Rena replied. "I realized it when he dove into my pendant. And it was a dive, head-first and all."

"Are you going to tell us?" Queen Bee asked.

Rena Rouge sighed. "He said I was 'snuggly' when Ladybug gave me the Miraculous back. I just thought he meant that I was warm and comfortable. But no," she said, "I think the little perv likes that his Miraculous hangs down in my cleavage."

The other three looked between themselves for a moment, holding in laughs, then Chat shrugged. "I've got nothing, sorry. All Plagg cares about is cheese and being a sarcastic asshole."

"Yeah, nope," Ladybug says. "Tikki is all about cookies and cuteness."

"I don't know him very well, but Pollen seems to like honey and tea. And tea with honey. And any dessert with honey. He really, really likes honey," Bee said. "He seems to try for wise and serene, but only pulls it off about half the time."

"And I've got a coffee-fiending, smartassed pervy fox," Rena said with resignation. "Awesome."

"You wouldn't give it up for anything," Ladybug told her.

"Never," the Fox Warrior agreed.

Chat Noir moved to stand next to Rena, and Queen Bee stood by Ladybug, taking her hand. It was going to take Chat a little while to get used to that, but he was happy for his friends. "Are we ready to go?" he asked.

"Always~" Queen Bee said with a lilt.

"Damn it, Bee!" Rena said.

"What?" Chat asked.

"Inside joke," all three girls said.

"Oh god, it's going to be pick on Chat Noir night every night, isn't it?"

"Only on days that end in _'I'_ , Chat," Bee told him with a smirk. He gave her a flat look.

"That makes me feel _so_ much better," he snapped, but without any heat behind it.

"Okay, children," Ladybug said. "Rena and Chat, go north. Queenie," the red-clad heroine grinned. "We're taking the southern route. And if you want that _always,_ you have to catch me!" She was off and running before her golden partner could react, and she was swinging away as Queen Bee leapt after her. The remaining pair stared off at them for a minute, then shook their heads.

"You ready to go, partner?" Rena Rouge asked.

"Always," Chat Noir replied. The pair bounded off into the night, and despite it all, Chat Noir was happy.


	6. The Third

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _Oh god. Oh god, please be okay. I don't even know how it happened. You were knocked off the houseboat wrapped in those chains from Captain Hardrock. The Police pulled you out of the water after a minute and a half, but you weren't breathing and it took so long before you started breathing on your own again. The doctors don't think there was any permanent damage, but I'm so scared. You won't wake up. It's been five days. Please, please wake up, love._

 _Queen Bee and Chat Noir defeated Hardrock, but Ladybug wasn't there. There was no Miraculous cure. The Couffaine's houseboat was destroyed. Mme. Couffaine was freed, and somehow, Queen Bee cleansed the akuma, but it wasn't nice and neat like Ladybug does it. Mme. Couffaine's leg was broken, but it was only a fracture and they say she'll heal in a couple of months. There wasn't too much other damage, but those giant speakers are still there from the attack. It's a mess._

 _I'm letting Juleka stay in my suite. The rest of the family is staying in a pair of rooms, free of charge. I made my father put them up until the insurance can replace the Couffaine's home. Rose is there with Juleka most nights. I've been sleeping at the bakery, in case you wake up in the night and they call your parents. One of them is at the hospital as soon as they finish the baking every morning, and the other joins them there as soon as they can, until late at night. I've been helping them in the bakery when I get out of school, so that they can both be there for you. I want to be at the hospital with you, but they're your parents. I come to see you for an hour before school, when they both have to work at the bakery, so that I'm not taking any time away from them that they could be at your side. I've never seen your father so sad. You mom is doing the stoic thing, but she seems so brittle. They both love you so much, and they're just as scared as I am. They've been incredibly supportive of me, and our new relationship. They're even letting me hold onto your earrings until you wake up and are released from the hospital – the doctors removed them when you arrived. I think your parents thought that my holding on to something precious of yours would let me know that they approved of me. And it does. Your parents are amazing._

 _You missed Mme. Bustier's birthday party at school. I gave her a gift from both of us, and she told me to tell you that she's praying for you. I've never been much of a believer, but I hope it helps._

 _Everyone in the class has been to visit at least once. Adrien came twice, but both times things got a bit crazy. Both times he went to the children's wing and visited the sickest of the patient, to help them cheer up. He's so sweet. M. Agreste even visited once. He said you were a promising designer, and he hoped that you would fully recover. Your parents were shocked that such a world-class designer would visit, and they were so proud that he recognized your skill. Jagged Stone sent flowers, but he knew if he came it would be a complete circus. So many people love you. It makes me feel all the more special that you chose to be with me._

 _Please wake up. I need you. I've never felt so alone before. I never had something so wonderful in my life before. It's like a part of me is missing. I love you, I love you always. Please, Marinette, come back to me._

 _Feeling shattered,_

 _Chloé._

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Alya sagged into her seat, a heavy rain had started when she was halfway to school, and she felt half-drowned now. Her hair was a frizzed mess, her jeans were stuck to her legs, her shoes squished, and she could barely see out of her glasses. She had gotten to school early – filling in for Marinette as class rep made her already busy schedule even busier – but now she was going to have to clean herself up before she could even start. She went to the phys. ed. changing room and stripped out of her jeans and socks, pulling on her gym shorts. She wrung her dripping clothes out over the sink, then was momentarily at a loss. She was staring at her wet clothes when Chloé came into the room. The blonde had a duffle over her shoulder and was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and was shaking out a large umbrella. She looked up and saw Alya, and gave her a sympathetic smile, or at least attempted to. The smile never reached her eyes.

"Got caught out by the rain?" she asked softly

"Yeah," Alya replied. "It started when I was halfway here."

"Well," Chloé said, "I think I have a spare pair of socks you can borrow, and as it happens I have my hair dryer in the bag – I stopped by the hotel on the way here from the hospital and grabbed a bunch of stuff. More clothes, and some bath accessories and such. Or you can borrow a skirt. It will be a bit short on you, but it's probably one of the few things I have that would fit you. I'd give you a pair of shorts, but your butt won't fit."

Alya didn't need to ask why the girl had her bag. Besides staying close to Marinette's family, Chloé and her father had had a huge fight after the Hardrock incident, and she was keeping her distance until the both of them had calmed down. It wasn't that Mayor Bourgeois had any problem with Chloé dating a girl, at least in theory. However, she had made a huge spectacle at the hospital when the staff hadn't wanted to allow her to see Marinette, and some wag had been recording it, and posted it online. Chloé's screaming diatribe upon not being allowed in to see her girlfriend had been seen by thousands, and then hundreds of thousand, and then millions. She was rather infamous among the Ladybug fan community, and even though she had cleaned up her image, she was still one of the most well known individuals that came in close contact with Ladybug on a regular basis. That meant the interest in her was far more than it would have been than if she was just the mayor's daughter. The resulting political fallout from the religious conservatives – the majority being Christian, followed by a very vocal Muslim minority – had left the Mayor in an uncomfortable place, when he had tried to reason with Chloé, he had done it rather poorly. Chloé was in no mood to be reasonable, and the screaming row with her father was a thing of legend, now. In a way, it had worked to the Mayor's advantage; from outside the current estrangement _looked_ like he was very disapproving of Chloé's lifestyle choices. Since she had multiple reasons to stay near Tom and Sabine, Chloé hadn't disabused anyone of their conclusions.

Alya had her own video of Chloé's rant, and the subsequent fight with her father, but she would never publish them anywhere. On the other hand, they were an epic demonstration of the blonde's command over invective, and Chloé's cutting remarks had left figurative blood splashed on the walls, and ankle-deep. Say what you will about Chloé; she defends those she cares about with a vicious protectiveness. Before the incident, Alya had begun to make her peace with Chloé and truly trust the girl. After, the two of them had become thick as thieves, united by their love of a pretty blue-haired girl.

The blogger walked over to Chloé and stuck her tongue out. "My butt is not that big, thank you. You're just not lucky enough to be gifted with my exceptional proportions. Skirt please." She accepted the offered skirt; it wasn't _that_ short, and she could live with it for the day. Alya wrung her jeans out again, then sat and waited for Chloé to change. The blonde changed into a much nicer top, then pulled out her favorite jacket and pulled it on. "How was Marinette this morning?"

A pained look crossed Chloé's face. "No real change. She's not in a coma, but they can't figure out why she won't wake up. They managed to stop the chest infection from settling in her lungs before it really even had a chance to get started. River water is _nasty_ , I never knew." She shrugged. "I left a letter for her. In case she wakes up, because I probably won't be there. I have her earrings." Alya's eyes went wider, but she nodded. "It's weird writing about things you did as if you just watched them," she whispered, then finished straightening her outfit as Alya did the same with the borrowed clothes. She zipped up her duffle, and Alya followed her out the door to their class. Alya left her jeans hanging from a coat hook, daring anyone to say something. No one did, but then very few people were present as of yet.

Juleka and Rose walked in, and the taller girl flinched when she saw Chloé. Rose looked worried, but didn't say anything. Alya watched her blonde friend seem to consider something for a moment, and then she walked over to stand in front of Juleka. She reached out a hand, took one of Juleka's and lifted it up, holding that hand with both of her own. "It wasn't your fault, none of it was, and I don't blame you," she told the darker girl.

"You know," Juleka said softly, "I always thought my mother was so cool. She gave us lots of freedom, and didn't try to make us grow up in a certain way. I thought that she was teaching us to challenge assumptions and to question everything, and it was great. She didn't let anyone give her grief, or stand in her way. But…she was wrong that day. She was being irresponsible. It's one thing to challenge assumptions, but she was in the wrong. It _was_ too loud, way too loud. It was causing damage to other people's things, and she didn't care, because she just wanted to spit in the face of the police, to tell them that they can't tell _her_ to be quiet. And then _tearing up the tickets_. Sometimes things don't work out how you want them to, and if you aren't willing to pay the price for taking the chance, then don't take that chance. If she hadn't been so childish and irresponsible, she wouldn't have become an akuma." The dark-haired girl's voice had slowly gotten louder, and Alya could hear the fury in her words. "Everything my mother taught me was so much _bullshit_ ," she spat. "And grandma and grandpa are worse. They taught my mother everything she believes in. I don't even want to think about it anymore." She tugged on her hand, pulling Chloé closer, and pulled the blonde into a hug. "Thank you for giving me a place to stay," she said softly, "and for letting me have Rose stay with me. If I had to stay with my mother right now…I'm afraid of what I might say. I'm really mad at Luka too, but he's been just as blinded by mother as I had been." She stepped back and pulled her hand free of Chloé's.

"You're most welcome, Juleka. I wasn't using my room right now, anyway. I hope you and Rose aren't making too much mess," Chloé said with an almost-smile.

"We don't do anything more than kiss and cuddle, you perv," Rose replied. Chloé looked over at the girl and started to reply, and then froze.

"Rose?"

"Yes, Chloé?" the pixie blonde replied.

"Are those _my_ boots that you're wearing?" the taller blonde asked dangerously.

"Um, they might be…" Rose prevaricated.

Chloé's smile wasn't nice. "Okay, it was my fault that I told you you had run of the place." She took a deep, calming breath. "Rose, you have run of the place _except for my closet_."

"…right. Sorry, Chloé," the tiny blonde said. "They were just so _cute_ , I couldn't resist. Especially with the rain and all."

"Right," Chloé said flatly.

"I think we should go sit down now, Rose," Juleka said softly.

"I think that's a good idea," Rose replied, and the two hurried to their seats.

Alya had been watching the whole exchange with rapt fascination. She had never seen Juleka speak that much in the whole time she had known the girl. She looked at Chloé and saw the twitch of the girl's lips that signified that she was barely holding onto her temper. Alya popped up and grabbed the blonde's hand, pulling her out of the classroom. Juleka and Rose owed her big time.

LFC LFC LFC

Adrien slammed the limo door as soon as he was out of it, eschewing an umbrella. He stomped up the steps to the school and was through the doors like a storm front. Several students jumped out of his way; _no one_ in the school had ever seen Adrien Agreste truly angry before. His infuriated look warned anyone that saw him that today was not going to be a good day to talk to him. He turned the corner, nearly running into Alya and Chloé. Alya took one look at him and sighed.

"Chloé, can you head back to class? I think I should calm down Adrien before he ends up making some poor Sixième cry." Chloé nodded, and touched her oldest friend on his hand before she made her way back to the classroom. Alya turned to him as soon as Chloé was gone. "What happened?"

"My _fucking_ father," Adrien spat, and he saw Alya wince. He supposed he could understand that, he rarely swore, so when he did it was an indication of his mood. "He's been fighting with me ever since Marinette got hurt. He wants to pull me out of school. Says it's too dangerous. He's been getting more insistent, but he promised me when I started that he wouldn't pull me out before the end of the school year unless I asked him to, so he's pressuring me. And this morning he said some unkind things about Chloé, said she was being a terrible example to me."

"He's not saying that because she's dating Marinette, is he?" Alya's face looked thunderous.

"What?" Adrien said. "Oh, no. It's because she's fighting with her father. He thinks that her rebellion is encouraging me. He doesn't understand that I don't want to go back into the birdcage. I'm free, I've spread my wings now. I can't go back to living in the box he kept me in."

"I don't know which of you has it worse, her with an absentee father, or you with a domineering one," Alya confessed.

"We usually say that the other one has it worse, but today I'll agree that my father is worse. I want to strangle him," the model confessed.

"Well, save your anger for him," Alya advised. "You're scaring the Sixième and Cinquième."

Adrien couldn't help himself, he laughed. "God forbid I scare a bunch of twelve and thirteen year olds."

"You're only fourteen yourself, you goof. We were there for the party, remember?" Alya told him.

"That was something, wasn't it?" he replied. He relaxed slightly, and the anger radiating off him seemed to dissipate. "Okay, I'm better now," he said.

"Truly?" Alya asked.

"As good as I'm going to get right now."

"I can work with that," Alya replied, leading him back to the classroom.

"Have you heard anything about Marinette?" Adrien asked as they walked.

"No," Alya replied, "Chloé saw her right before school, and there was no change. They're sure they stopped any infection from getting into her lungs though, so that's something."

"That is," he agreed. "I just feel so helpless."

"We all do," the redhead replied. She led him back to the classroom, and they settled in for the day. Adrien hoped that nothing else happened today, this one was already too much for him.

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé ran to the bakery, her duffle bouncing against her back slightly. She was running late; she had stopped in the change room and put on her work clothes, but had gotten held up when Kim and Alix had gotten into a screaming match, and she had to play mediator, since Marinette wasn't there and Alya had been handling a volatile Adrien all day. She dashed across the street to the bakery and flung the door open, and almost ran into the tall, mostly-bald white haired man. He turned to look at who entered, and she could see that it was Jagged Stone's manager. He looked at her for a moment, and then dismissed her. Her eyes went wide for moment, and then she realized that _he didn't know who she was_. She wasn't dressed like she normally was. He might regret his dismissal of her. She ducked behind the counter and ran her back up to the apartment, then ran right back down. "Sorry I'm late Mme. Cheng, had to stop a fight at school," she said, and she looked out into the bakery. In addition to the manager, Jagged's assistant, Penny, and Alec, the announcer from TVi, were there. "What are they here for?" she asked.

"We originally agreed to do an episode of TVi's 'Fill My Shoes' several months ago, and they wanted Jagged Stone to be the celebrity for our episode. In order to film before Jagged leaves Paris, we'd have to film this weekend. We agreed because we wanted the publicity, but…this isn't the time, and they are saying if we don't shoot with Jagged, we'll be dropped from the series," Sabine Cheng said in a rush. "It's for the business, it would be good for the business, but right now we just can't. We can't." Sabine looked extremely distraught, and Chloé was becoming livid.

"I'll talk to them, Mme. Cheng, you need to get to the hospital," she told Marinette's mother, shoving her toward the door to the apartment. "I'm sure I can make them see reason." Once Sabine was through the door, Chloé spun. The look on her face was _not_ a nice one. She stalked over to the counter and leaned over it. "Penny," she said sweetly, "you know who I am, don't you?"

The assistant nodded. "Of course, Mlle…."

"Ah!" Chloé held up an interrupting finger. "They get to figure it out themselves. You might want to step outside for this, it isn't going to be nice." She knew that Penny, at least, knew her reputation. The other two still hadn't connected the dots. She turned to Alec. "M. Cataldi, I know that you're an obnoxious little oik, but I would think that you had at least some class. Did you even listen to _why_ they can't participate in your little show, or did you and the other bald asshole just start insisting that things had to happen." She pointed at – Bob Roth, that was his name – the taller man and said, "I know what kind of prick this guy is, and I saw how you treated Aurore – I go to school with her, you know – so I'm assuming you're the same as he is." She glared. "If you had bothered to _fucking listen_ to what Mme. Cheng was trying to tell you, you would know that her _daughter_ is in the hospital after the last akuma attack, and that she and her husband have been spending every moment they can there. It's why I'm watching the bakery right now."

Alec Cataldi had the grace to look abashed, but it seemed that reality hadn't quite penetrated into Bob's head quite yet. That was okay, Chloé would let the light in. " _Furthermore_ , do you know who their daughter is? Of course you don't. If you _did_ know, then you would have realized just how bad a move this is." She grinned evilly. "Their daughter is _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_. Penny, the poor dear, knows exactly who she is, and if she had met Sabine and Tom together, she would have put it together as soon as she heard the names. Because I'm pretty sure that she's the one that actually arranged for the flowers that Jagged had sent to Marinette at the hospital, because he is hopeless at little things like that. It's really rather sweet, in a way. But the reason that Jagged Stone sent flowers to their daughter Marinette, is that she was the one that made him those ridiculous Eiffel Tower sunglasses, the ones that he adores. She's the one that designed his newest album cover. And she's the one that got hurt by an akuma _during a music festival he was playing in_. He said in his note that he would have come to the hospital to see her if it hadn't had the potential to turn into a media circus, and I know that those were _his_ words and not just some platitude, because _he wrote the damned note_. I would know his handwriting anywhere."

She snarled at the pair. "The last thing you should know about their daughter is that she's my _girlfriend_." She saw the disgust flare in Bob's eyes, and knew that she was really, really going to enjoy this now. "And the reason that I know what Jagged's handwriting looks like is because he's been living at _my_ father's hotel for the last month, while he's been writing that new album that my girlfriend did the cover for." She placed a hand on the counter and vaulted over it, getting into Bob's face and grabbing him by the front of his shirt. "I'm Chloé _Motherfucking_ Bourgeois, my father is Mayor Andre Bourgeois, my never-to-be-sufficiently-damned mother is _Audrey_ Bourgeois, and if either of you assholes cause the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie to lose so much as _one Euro_ I will use everything in my not-inconsiderable power to make your lives an utter misery. Do you fully understand what I am saying?" The two men had the sense to nod, and to keep their mouths shut. "Good. Now, Bob? Get the hell out. You can try and squeeze blood out of a stone somewhere else, but not here." The record executive spun and was out the door in a flash. Once he was out, she turned to Alec. Bob, she didn't care about. Jagged and Penny were the important people in that equation. Alec needed more deft handling, now that he was shook up. She backed up, and hopped up to sit on the counter. Tom and Sabine would kill her, but she needed the height advantage. She took a deep breath.

"Alec," she said, "I'm not sorry for what I said, but I'm sorry for how I said it. You did hurt Aurore with how you treated her, and the fact that you tried to bull through Mme. Cheng's explanation without actually hearing it doesn't speak well of you, either, but I understand what your business is like. So, let's make a deal."

Alec eyed Chloé suspiciously, but nodded at her. "If you weren't who you are…but okay, I'm listening."

"What you _won't_ do is cancel out the Patisserie's participation in the show. Not when they are suffering from this kind of personal tragedy. But I have an idea for a substitute," she went on.

"And how would you get this supposed substitute to participate in the show on short notice?" Alec asked. "We were going to shoot day after tomorrow, because they open so early. He flies out that evening."

Chloé nodded. "I've got this. Like I said, I am Chloé Bourgeois, and my father owns Le Grand Paris. Our head chef, Marlena Césaire – you know her, she was a judge on that food show you did at the hotel – has dealt with TV shows and the camera doesn't phase her. And _her_ daughter is best friends with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm sure she would be willing to help out when she understands the situation. You get your episode – Jagged in a kitchen with knives and fire and boiling liquids will have the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for a disaster the whole episode – and my girlfriend's family can appear next season. I'll call Chef Césaire once I show you out the door. Or, well, after I talk to Penny. Send her in when you leave, please?" He nodded. "Thanks. Now, leave." The man walked out the door, and Chloé hopped off the counter. She cracked her neck, then smiled at Penny when she walked in.

"I didn't realize…" Penny began, but Chloé waved her off.

"You figured it out as soon as you got outside, didn't you?"

Penny nodded. "Cheng isn't a very common name to be hyphenated with a French surname, so it stood out in my mind, and I put it together when I looked at the rest of the contract and saw the names. I'm so sorry that they…"

"It's okay, Penny, really, I know that you're way too responsible to let something like this happen. I've watched you manage Jagged all month. You are a _saint_ ," Chloé said with conviction. "Thank you for sending flowers."

"It really was Jagged's idea," the purple-haired woman said. "He was really upset when he heard about it. He was going to ask her about doing a tour t-shirt for him. I hope that she gets better soon, she's a really sweet girl."

"My girlfriend is the best," Chloé confirmed.

"Oh!" Penny exclaimed. "Congratulations!" A wicked grin formed on her face. "Does Bob know?"

"Oh yes," the blonde replied, "and I saw his disgust. Just one more reason to despise the prick."

Penny nodded. "I have to go, before Bob starts making a scene outside. Alec can't handle him. But thank you for not holding this against me, I really am sorry."

"Get Jagged to sign a poster to both Marinette and I, and we will call it even, okay?"

"Sorted!" Penny said, and she spun and pushed out the door. Chloé let out a long sigh, and then closed her eyes massaged her temples. She was shocked, and jumped, when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and give her a hug. She turned enough to see that Sabine Cheng was the one holding her.

"I thought you were leaving!" Chloé said.

"I was," Sabine said, "but then I heard you defending our family, our business, and I couldn't leave." She let Chloé turn around, and then pulled her into a tighter hug. "Chloé, I don't know what the future holds for you and Marinette. You seem to have a special bond with my daughter now, and if it lasts, I know you can make her happy. But even if it doesn't, know that you can always come here, and we will help you." She stepped back to look the blonde in the eyes. "Today, you made yourself family."

Chloé felt her eyes tear up, and she just nodded and hugged Mme. Cheng again. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Think nothing of it," Sabine said. "Now I need to…" She was cut off by her mobile phone ringing, and she quickly answered it. "Tom, what it is? Really? Oh, god, we'll be right there!" She looked up at her daughter's girlfriend. "Grab your jacket, Chloé, we need to go!"

"Did something bad…" the blonde began.

"Chloé, Marinette's awake!"


	7. The Purloined Letter

_Dear Marinette,_

 _I'm sitting across from you, watching your face as you work on a design that you swear isn't for me, except that you keep looking up at me when you don't think_ I'm _looking, and I'm just so happy I could burst. You're doing that little thing with your tongue where it's sticking out of the corner of mouth that you've always done when you're thinking_ really _hard, and it's utterly adorable. And I know that you think that I'm utterly ridiculous for writing this letter when I'm sitting right across from you, but it means something to me that I can put these words down on paper. They have more permanence this way. If something were to happen to me tomorrow, you'd have these letters. I know they would not hold much consolation for you, but you would know that you fill my thoughts every day._

 _You still worry me, my Marinette. You've only been out of the hospital a few days, and already you are trying to push yourself to hard. You don't have to take on the burdens of the world, love. You have all your friends with you, now. You have_ me _with you now. We can shoulder this burden together and~~~~~_

Ink dragged across the page as Marinette pulled the letter Chloé was working on off of the lap desk she was working on. It was early evening and the pair was sitting in Marinette's room; Chloé was trying to relax, while her girlfriend was taking a break before diving back into her missed assignments. Marinette's eyes danced across the page while the blonde pouted at her, but she was seemed not to notice. Then she looked up with a loving expression on her face. "You are such a dork, Chloé," she said with a giggle, "but you're my dork."

Chloé blushed. "Look who's talking," she muttered.

The blunette dropped down next to her and pulled her into a hug. "What's really bothering you, Chlo?" she asked, with concern in her eyes

"Papillion," the blonde said softly.

Marinette nodded. "He's _never_ gone this long without an attack."

"It really bothers me, the longer it goes, the more…the more I'm afraid that the next attack will be _my_ fault. That I'll do something stupid and…" she stopped speaking as Marinette put a finger to her lips.

"If anything you did _had_ caused an akuma, it probably would have been with Alec or Bob, and that didn't happen, so I don't think you're in any danger there, dear," Marinette told her.

Chloé snorted. "Alec Cataldi and Bob Roth were too scared of me to have enough anger to become akuma," she replied.

"I cannot dispute that," the blunette said with a smirk. "Mom is still giggling about it. She must have called every friend and relative she has so that she can tell them that story. My uncle Wang is amazed at the changes you've gone through."

Chloé blushed brightly. "I still owe him an apology. I was truly horrid to him."

"You defended his sister, Chloé," Marinette replied, "he said your actions have done more to apologize than any words ever could. He's willing to put the past behind him, but don't expect to be allowed into his kitchen anytime soon." She giggled, and Chloé pouted.

"Still," the blonde said, bringing the conversation back to its original path, "I really am worried about the lack of attacks."

"This is the first time that any of his attacks actually almost killed anyone," Marinette replied. "Before, for all the nastiness of the attacks, it was kind of a game. He would attack, and Ladybug and Chat Noir would stop him. I'm not sure that he really had been thinking about the long-term consequences of what he's been doing. Not until now, anyway."

"You don't know what he wants the Miraculous for, Mari," her girlfriend countered. "Maybe he doesn't care, but the lack of Ladybug at the last attack has worried him. Maybe he's waiting for a sign that Ladybug is back before he attacks again."

"Nooroo might be fighting him," Tikki interjected as she floated over. She and Pollen had been trying a cookie neither had never had before, a thick german gingerbread-type cookie called lebkuchen that had honey as a major ingredient. "we can't fight the will of our Miraculous holder, but there are things we _can_ do. We can refuse to eat, which greatly lengthens our recharge time. Although that might explain the normal gap between attacks. And the weaker we are, the less time we can spend transformed. He might not be able to find a victim before he's forced to revert back to normal."

Pollen flitted over. "This cookie is okay," he said. "Not my favorite, but it would work in a pinch, I suppose."

Marinette nodded. "These are supposed to be emergency supplies. If Chlo and I both carry them, then either one of us can feed both of you, if we need to. Rather than either of us running out. Besides," she added with a teasing grin, "I'm less likely to eat these than I am Tikki's regular cookies. Much too dense."

"Because we can't have you getting any denser than you already are," Chloé said with a smirk.

"Hey!"

"Chloé," Pollen hummed softly, "that wasn't very nice."

"I didn't mean it, and Mari knows that," the blonde defended. "I don't have much I can tease her about. The only thing I have up on her is my brains."

"You're prettier than me, Chlo," Marinette protested.

"I am not!" Chloé countered. "You have that pale, exotic look going on. You have your father's height and coloring, and your mother's facial structure and build, and the combination is stunning."

"You have this golden blonde thing going on," Marinette replied. "Your skin tone is amazing, and your hair is so silky soft that I just want to run my hands through it all day."

"I wouldn't protest," the blonde murmured.

"Sadly, I need to get back to my assignments," Marinette said. "I'll never catch up otherwise."

"We'll all help you."

"I appreciate it," the blunette replied, "I need to get caught up enough that I don't have to worry about my mom getting mad if I leave for a bit. I really, really want to go out patrolling."

"I don't think…" Chloé started.

"No, Chloé," Marinette cut her off. "I'm feeling better. It wasn't a head injury. Yes, I'm a bit weak, but I'm pretty sure that a few nights of running around as Ladybug will have me feeling back up to one hundred percent. And I need to be seen. If I'm gone too much longer, people will start to think that something really has happened to me. We're lucky that Alya is on our side, and has been using her archives to create articles about Ladybug sightings. We need someone _besides_ her to report a Ladybug sighting. And not those two college students she has working on the blog now." She shook her head. "I can't believe she finally agreed to get help."

"I can't believe Alix's effectiveness at being a forum mod," Chloé admitted. "She's not the most dedicated or studious, and I always thought she was, well, kind of dim. But she's a dab hand at managing the idiots on the forums, and for those that the cute factor doesn't work on, her capacity for violence and her sharp tongue works wonders." She sighed. "If I'm not careful, she might take my title as queen bitch of Collège Françoise Dupont."

"Oh, god forfend," Marinette said with a giggle. "Maybe that's a crown you _should_ hand off."

"Maybe," Chloé agreed. "What is it about our class that the small girls have the greatest capacity for violence? Between Alix and Rose…"

"Mylène is a complete softy," Marinette countered. "But I mostly agree. You would think it would be Ivan and Kim, but Ivan's just a huge teddy bear."

"Kim's a muscle head, though," Chloé said. "He's still holding a bit of a grudge against me. He really had a crush on me, I guess."

"As much of a bitch as you were during the Dark Cupid incident, you'd think he would be over that," Marinette said. Chloé winced but nodded.

"I was pretty bitchy," the blonde admitted, "but he should have gotten the message. Why he's still carrying a torch…"

"Boys can be dumb," her girlfriend told her. "I mean, look at Adrien."

"That's because you couldn't speak to the boy, of course he wouldn't know," Chloé replied. "His social awareness was completely stunted living inside the cage his father had him in. You would have to hit him in the head with a football with 'Marinette likes you' written all over it for him to notice, and maybe not even then."

Marinette nodded. "At least my sweet, wonderful girlfriend made sure I was aware of how she felt."

"By telling _Ladybug_ ," Chloé replied, her face in her hands. "It's still so embarrassing, I don't know how you put up with me."

"Because you watched the bakery every day so my parents could be with me at the hospital. Because you made your father let Juleka and her family stay at the hotel while they found a new houseboat. Because you told Alec and Bob where they can get off, and got Alya's mom some great exposure at the same time. Because you decided to change, and you _did_ it. And because your butt looks great in those short shorts you're wearing." Marinette grinned, and Chloé grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.

"Your butt is way better, and you know it," the blonde countered.

"Just wait," Marinette said, "six months of roof-hopping and Queen Bee with have the best Bee-hind in Paris." She thought about what she said, and then smacked herself in the face. "I just had a Chat Noir moment, didn't I?"

Chloé nodded. "That was a truly awful pun, my dear Mari."

"I have no excuses."

"I just blame Chat," Chloé told her. "If something happens, it's Chat Noir's fault. Always."

"…now that I know what he's been hiding behind that quiet exterior, I agree. When all else fails, blame Chat Noir." Marinette stretched. "Now, can you get us some more cookies and milk while I get back to my assignments? If you do, I'll brush your hair afterwards."

"Deal."

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé, Alya, Marinette, and Adrien all lay on the roof of Collège Françoise Dupont the next evening, panting and exhausted. First had been the zoo animal escape near the end of the school day, with the four of them helping to catch the loose animals. Then the rest quartet had been led by Marinette to meet the Guardian, so that they could find him if it was needed, such as if Marinette was in hospital, for example. Master Fu was not completely thrilled, but he acquiesced to the visit and met all of the young Miraculous holders. Then they had gone to meet most of the class at the movies, and things went south from there.

The only good thing in any of their opinion was that, as tough as the akuma fight had been, they knew that Papillion hadn't given up. Chloé was of the opinion that Ladybug being seen helping with the zoo escape had let the villain know that she was back, and that had given him the impetus to attack once more. Upon hearing the theory, Adrien had enthusiastically backed her up. Alya countered that she had been maintaining a cover story with the Ladyblog, and Marinette was unconvinced, but thought that _something_ strange had been going on. Now they were just taking a moment to recover.

"So what I want to know," Alya said suddenly, "is where Kim has been hiding that girl, and how in the world he _didn't_ know that she likes him. The dumbass. It was practically written on her face when she saw him after we freed her."

"It's Kim," Adrien and Chloé said at the same moment.

"You are _not_ allowed to comment on this matter, Adrien," Marinette interjected.

"Mean," the blond model said, but then he fell silent.

"She's a first year in lycée," Marinette said. "She was a troisième at Françoise Dupont last year."

"I'd ask how you knew that," Alya said, "but I expect that it has to do with your mysterious class rep powers." She heard Marinette sputter, and drew a one in the air, denoting a point for her.

"Did you see her shoulders?" Adrien said. "I think Kim's afraid of her. Swimmer girls are scary."

"The only girl I know that's as muscled as that girl is our Mari," Alya said.

"I'm right here," Marinette reminded them.

"We know," the other three replied in unison.

"So whatever the reason, Papillion is back," Chloé brought up. "Adrien, can you and Al handle patrols for the rest of the week? I think Mari and I can get caught up with her assignments by the end of the day Saturday if we don't have any interruptions. I may get Sabrina to come help."

"The way she helps you?" Alya asked.

Chloé spluttered. "She told you?"

"Wait, what?" Marinette asked, sitting up. "What does Sabrina do?" Chloé mumbled something, and Marinette glared at her. "What was that?"

The blonde sighed. "She can write in my handwriting, or close enough to fool the teachers. She fakes some of my assignments, the ones that I already know the material for."

"Chloé," Marinette said, "you're left-handed."

"And?"

"Sabrina is right-handed. How does that even work?" the blunette asked.

"She can write with either hand," Chloé told her. "In fact, she can't actually write in her own handwriting with her left hand. She can write in three different hands with her left hand though. I don't know who the other two are."

"She's a _forger_?" Adrien asked suddenly.

"She wants to be a forensic handwriting specialist. She takes samples of both real and fake when she visits her father at work, and if the lab technicians have the time, they help her break them down and point out the flaws." Chloé grinned. "They know what she's doing, and they have enough samples of _her_ work that she'd be caught out in a week or two if she tried to go pro. It's not exactly ethical, but she isn't hurting anyone, and she only does the make-work assignments. Well, and she used to do some of our cooperative papers, but she stopped that a while back. She's not a budding criminal, I promise you."

"The things you learn laying on a roof," Adrien said.

"This is nice," Marinette said suddenly. "We need a place like this. A place we can all meet up."

"As soon as Juleka's family moves into their new houseboat at the end of week, we can use the pool deck at the hotel. It's just hard to do that when I'm not supposed to be at the hotel right now," Chloé told them.

"You're still staying with Marinette's family?" Adrien asked.

"She is," Marinette comfirmed.

"I've _seen_ Marinette's room," he said. "Where are you sleeping, Chloé?"

Chloé blushed bright red, she hadn't counted on Adrien of all people asking that question. "I've been snuggling with Marinette, if you must know," she murmured.

"OOOOOHH?" Alya asked loudly, sitting up. "You didn't tell me _that_ , Mari. You've been holding out on me!"

"Because I knew you would react like that!" Marinette replied. "We aren't doing anything!"

"She squeezes my ass in her sleep," Chloé said.

"I think you're mistaking the roles there, Chlo," Marinette said, deadpan.

"La la la I don't need to hear this," Adrien said, his hands over his ears. "I'm sorry, but Chloé is like my sister and Marinette is my partner! Totally don't need to be hearing about that. Not because I have problems with a girl with another girl, but…Chloé! Marinette! There are things I would rather not know about either of you!"

"Boys," Alya said, "they are so delicate."

"You suck, Alya," Adrien told her.

"You could only wish, pretty boy," Alya replied wickedly.

"GAH!" Adrien shouted. "What is wrong with you, Al?"

"We wouldn't want you getting too comfortable, now that Mari and Chloé aren't chasing after you," Alya told him. "Need to keep you on your toes, or some aggressive girl will just smash through your defenses and ensnare you before you know what happened."

"I don't have a problem with that part, I guess, but…lewd!" the model said. "Besides, don't you like Nino?"

"Nino's cute," Alya replied. "He also is shy, a fourteen year old boy, and not a Miraculous holder. I don't think I'll be dating for a while, not until Papillion is defeated. Then, I might give the Fox Miraculous back." She heard Trixx squeak, and felt abashed. "It's not that I don't love being Rena Rouge, or being your partner, Trixx, but I already know that I'll need someone I can trust with the secret. If I find that person, that's great, but if I never do, then I would probably give it back. But until Papillion is defeated, I can't tell anyone, because if that person gets possessed, they could do immeasurable damage." She stretched, and fell back onto the roof. "In a way, Chloé and I have safer identities than you and Adrien, Mari. Both of us have been akuma, while both of you haven't. You're still the only two in class that haven't, besides Mme. Bustier."

"Well," Alya put in, "you aren't being the bitch queen of the class anymore, so that can be used to explain why neither of them has been turned."

"Weak, but plausible," Chloé countered. "I can live with that excuse, since it's my past reputation, if anyone ends up commenting. Adrien's my oldest friend, and Mari is just way too sweet to ever become an akuma."

"Agreed," Adrien and Marinette said.

"Why didn't you move Juleka into Jagged Stone's suite?" Alya asked.

"He says he's coming back," Chloé replied. "He's gotten so much writing done while here in Paris that he wants to stay a while longer. He's looking to book some studio time; Penny asked me to help her look up studios here in Paris, she was hoping to find one close to either the hotel or the bakery. Apparently Jagged wants food from one or the other catered in every day."

"Mom and Dad won't complain," Marinette said.

"I'm sure my Mom would glad of the endorsement of her food. It's not another star, but being Jagged Stone's favorite restaurant has a certain prestige of its own," Alya put in.

"She found one about three miles away from both," Chloé said, "so hopefully it will suit his needs. He's kind of fun to be around if that asshole Bob Roth isn't around. I like Penny, she's pretty cool for a nominal adult."

"Agreed," Marinette said.

"Far be it from me to interrupt this evening of camaraderie and fun, but…my butt's getting cold. And I'm sure Alain is going spare trying to find me," Adrien said.

"Same on the butt issue," Alya admitted.

"Who's Alain?" Marinette asked, curious. She didn't remember hearing the name before.

"The Gorilla," Adrien said. "I finally got him to tell me his name. I'm supposed to call him M. Dupont to his face, and I do, but thinking of him as Alain makes him less scary."

"I would have to agree," Alya said, standing up.

"Agreed," chorused Marinette and Chloé. They stood up as well.

"See you in class tomorrow," Adrien said. The others nodded, and they all quietly transformed, and bounded on their way home.

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé popped up through the trapdoor to Marinette's room to see her girlfriend trying, badly, to imitate the dance moves of some music video she was watching. Chloé listened, and she wanted to giggle, so she did. "Clara Nightingale? I didn't think she sang your type of music. I thought you were more rock and roll than that."

Marinette flushed. "I have eclectic tastes," she replied. "I like lots of music. Besides, I heard you singing in Japanese the other evening, so you shouldn't judge. You really are all kinds of dork, aren't you, Chloé? Ladybug cosplay, manga in your room, listening to J-pop…"

"You hush about my J-pop!" Chloé yelled. "Besides," she said more quietly, "I'm trying to find a duet we can sing."

"Awwwww, at least you're a sweet dork," Marinette said. Then she turned to the screen. "A Miraculous themed music video? Did I hear that right?"

Chloé climbed the rest of the way up, and dropped the hatch before getting close enough to hear the announcement. "Huh," Chloé said. "That's kind of cool." She thought about it for a moment. "We should make an appearance," she stated with conviction.

"What, to be in the video? That has all kinds of potential to go wrong," the blunette said. "That's practically asking for an akuma attack."

"No," the blonde replied. "Just to make an appearance. Give it the Team Miraculous stamp of approval." Chloé blushed "And maybe ask for an autograph."

"There's the Chloé I know and love, finding ways to abuse her authority," Marinette giggled.

"Shush."

"Why don't you audition to play Ladybug?" Marinette asked suddenly. "You have the costume, and you have the right attitude." Her grin grew mischievous. "And I could audition to play Queen Bee!"

Chloé gave her girlfriend a look like Marinette had just grown two heads. "Because _that_ couldn't possibly go wrong."

"No, no!" Marinette objected. "We can't play ourselves, because that's definitely asking for trouble, but if we switched parts…"

Chloé's phone buzzed, and she opened the messenger app when she saw she had a message from Adrien.

 **BesteAgreste:** Father is making me play chat noir in the next clara nightengale music video

 **BesteAgreste:** I can't even right now

 **BesteAgreste:** This is going to be the most awkward thing ever

Chloé couldn't help herself, she smirked.

 **Mari'sGirl:** That is rather awkward. Mari and i were thinking of auditioning for LB and QB. Me as LB and her as QB

 **BesteAgreste:** That's kind of clever actually

 **BesteAgreste:** Apparently clara's usual body double for her music videos is going to be rena

 **Mari'sGirl:** Ah. Too bad, alya would be a great fit for that role, but maybe she could appear as herself, she is pretty well known as the ladyblogger

 **BesteAgreste:** She would die i'll message her and then tell father he should get her in on it. Clara would probably be all for it, more authentic and all that

 **Mari'sGirl:** There is something wrong with us

 **BesteAgreste:** The best things are wrong with us

 **Mari'sGirl:** Totally

LFC LFC LFC

Queen Bee and Ladybug watched as the Miraculous cure washed away all the damage from Frightengale's attack. Clara was sobbing on the ground, and Queen Bee whirled on Mayor Bourgeois. "What in the _hell_ is wrong with you? Chasing off your own daughter and her girlfriend because they kissed each other during a break in filming? Upsetting Clara, telling her that she had to recast or you wouldn't let her shoot the video? What. The. Fuck?"

"Bee, don't," Ladybug said, stepping between her and the Mayor. She turned to the man. "I am most disappointed in you, Mayor Bourgeois, putting politics before family. Chat Noir is friends with Marinette, and I know your daughter, and count her as a friend. I know that she moved out because of your continued political ambitions. I think that you should think about the consequences of Ladybug, Chat Noir, and the rest of team Miraculous endorsing your opponent in the next election." She heard the beeping of her timer, and she turned away from him. "We have to leave, we're almost out of time. I suggest that you think about this, M. Mayor. We don't want to get involved in politics, we don't want to take a stance. We're here to help the city. But if you hurt our friends, we _will_ take a stance." With that, the pair bounded off. Chat Noir and Rena had already taken their leave. They practically fell into an alley as their timers ran out. Chloé was hyperventilating, and Marinette took her into a strong hug. "It's okay, love."

"You threatened Daddy, for me," Chloé murmured.

"I'm sorry if that upset you, Chloé, it's not my place to…"

Chloé pulled her girlfriend into a kiss. The same kind of kiss she had given Marinette the night that everything changed. Marinette melted against her, then took Chloé's face in her hands and kissed her back with equal fervor. It was timeless for them, but after too short a time, they broke apart. "Never apologize for loving me. Never apologize for defending me. Even from Daddy."

"Do you want to go back?" Marinette asked her.

"Yes. I want to face him. And I don't want Clara to have to give up on her video," Chloé said. "Besides, you look kind of hot as Queen Bee."

"Narcissist."

Marinette took her hand, and ten minutes later, they were back on the site of the music video. As soon as Clara Nightingale spotted them she ran over, pulling both into a hug. "Thank you for coming back. I'm so sorry, you didn't deserve that! I don't care, if the Mayor won't let me finish, I would rather give up my video than let him treat you like that," she said, sniffling. "I was just so angry, and distressed, I don't know what happened…"

"It's okay," Chloé said, patting the woman's back. "I've been there, I know what it's like. It's awful, I know. If you need to talk about it, I'm here." She stepped out of the hug, and Marinette did as well. "I wasn't always as good a person as I'm trying to be now, and I caused a lot of people to become akuma before I grew up and took responsibility for myself. So I truly understand." She took Marinette's hand, and smiled at the singer. "My father is my father, but Mari is my love. We don't understand it either, but…we resonate with each other. We're part of each other, and even though we're young…I think we're together forever." She heard Marinette inhale sharply, but her girlfriend just gave her hand a quick squeeze, and then leaned into her slightly. "We won't do anything else to disrupt your video. If they'll let us come back, we're ready."

Clara nodded. "We'll make this the best video ever. Ladybug, and all of Team Miraculous, deserve our best effort." She grabbed them each by their free hand, and the two girls separated so they could walk with Clara as she lead them back to confront the Mayor. She was going to shoot this video her way, and damn if she would let anyone tell her otherwise. Now more than ever, Ladybug, Chat Noir, Queen Bee, and Rena Rouge were her idols. She wouldn't let anyone stand in her way. Just because she wasn't Miraculous, didn't mean she couldn't be a miracle on her own. It was her dream to make this video to honor her heroes, to make it a tribute to them, to show them how much she, and all of Paris, appreciated what they did.

They already knew. And even though she didn't know it, Clara Nightingale had four new friends. Mayor Bourgeois had things to think about. Nathalie Sancoeur saw how much Adrien had grown, how he looked out for his friends, and how he protected them from the Mayor's scornful words, and wondered if Gabriel could understand what a fine young man his son had become. Papillion seethed at one more defeat. And as Marinette and Chloé watched the video, with the two of them back to back, Adrien and the dancer playing Rena flanking them, they smiled at each other and took each other's hand.

"You know," Chloé said softly, "despite everything, today was kind of awesome."

Marinette grinned. "Personally, I think it was kind of miraculous."

"Shush, you."

"Make me," Marinette challenged.

Chloé leaned in and did just that, in the best way possible.

"Kiss me like that always," Marinette whispered when they broke the kiss.

"Always," Chloé promised. And she kissed her again.


	8. The Tear-stained Letter

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't know why what I did made you so furious, but I understand. I'll get out of your life. I grabbed a few of my things, but I'll send Jean for the rest. I'm so, so sorry. I still love you more than I can say. Goodbye, Mari._

 _Heartbroken,_

 _Chloé_

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé sat in the stone arch, listening to the rain fall as she sobbed. She had found this in a park, a rectangular stone structure with a sloped roof and an arch through the middle of it. She had no idea why it had been built, but at the moment she didn't care. It was shelter from the rain that was pouring down, and that was enough for her at the moment. She was wrapped in the red-with-black-polka-dots blanket Marinette had bought her three days ago to try and keep warm, but she was soaked to the bon underneath it. The blanket had been one of the things she had thrown into her bag in the rush to grab her things before Marinette had gotten home. It had already been pouring rain when she left the bakery, Tom and Sabine calling after in confusion, but she had paid neither them nor the rain any heed. She had just run, her tears mingling with the rain running down her face. Finally, she had been exhausted, and lost, and freezing, and she had found this park and this arch and had taken shelter. She couldn't stop crying.

She wasn't sure what she had done wrong. It had been going so well until today. Then the akuma attacked. The akuma had been a strange one, calling himself the Modernizer. She had thought, from what he was saying, that he was some kind of architect. And that he hated the old and historic buildings that dotted the city of Paris. He viewed himself as some kind of architectural genius, from what Queen Bee had gathered, but his power said otherwise. He transformed buildings into things that resembled the Centre Georges Pompidou, which Chloé thought was one of the ugliest buildings in Paris. On top of that, though, he was tearing apart churches and some of the oldest buildings in the city. Team Miraculous had caught up with him outside N°51 Rue de Montmorency, where he was smashing the front of the building, hurling huge chunks of stone about. The fight had ranged up the street, and then the Modernizer used his power again, but it hadn't completely changed the building he hit, only the lower floors. The upper floors were too heavy to be supported by the new works, and had started to fall.

Queen Bee had acted without thought. She had run at Ladybug, and had tackled her out from under the falling mess. Then she had felt the impact, and everything had gone black. She thought she was dreaming for a bit, and then she had woken back up. She had been confused when she awoke. Her ears were ringing, and nothing was making any sense. But Ladybug was yelling at her. She had never seen her so angry, not in all the years they had known each other. Chloé could barely understand what she was saying, her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, but she got up and tried to run, tried to leap away. But she stumbled, and looked at her hands as the pain from falling stung her palms. She wasn't transformed into Queen Bee anymore. She felt in her hair, and the Bee Miraculous was gone. Understanding had set in, and Chloé staggered to her feet and ran. The last thing she heard was the high-pitched beep from the others' Miraculous, counting down their time until they transformed.

She ran like a madwoman to the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, the long run a total blur, through the door, up the stairs, threw a few of her most treasured possessions from her time with Marinette in her bag, afraid that she wouldn't get them back. Even if it was over, she still loved Marinette with every fiber of her being. Bag full, she had run back down the stairs and was out the door before she had to answer any questions. And now here she was.

She could go home, she knew. Her suite was once again empty, and her father had apologized to her. The only reason she hadn't already done so was that she had enjoyed the quiet, contented love that permeated the Dupain-Cheng household. The serenity of it. It was so unlike anything she had known growing up that she had reveled in it, and she had wanted to steal just a few more days of it before going back to her everyday life. But she couldn't face her father, couldn't face Butler Jean, or any of the hotel staff. She couldn't face Chef Césaire, who would know the story, or some version of it, from her daughter soon enough. She hadn't known where to go. The Agreste mansion was out, even if Gabriel Agreste wasn't the most pretentious, unwelcoming ass that she knew. She couldn't face Adrien right now, either.

Maybe she could go to Sabrina? But she didn't know where she was, and she had only a vague idea of where her best friend's house actually was. She would recognized the landmarks when she saw them, but she had always been driven there until recently, and she only knew the way there from Marinette's house, not from Le Grand Paris. She could call, but that would mean she had to get her phone out, and she didn't want to look at it. She didn't want to look at the smiling faces of herself and Marinette on the lock screen, the picture of the two of them with Clara Nightingale that was her wallpaper. She was grateful that she had set her ringer to silent earlier in the day, so that she couldn't hear Clara's new song, that she had set for her ringtone for Marinette. Or the Jagged Stone song that she used for Adrien's. Somehow, everything in her life since Adrien had come to Collège Françoise Dupont had come to be associated with Marinette. She couldn't bear any of it right now.

She wasn't sure how long she sat under that arch in the rain. The storm showed no signs of letting up, and she was too cold to brave the deluge again. She would have to wait it out. It was all she could do. She was staring out into the fading light, watching the park lights turn come on, the light bouncing off the puddles and making the raindrops look like a fall of shining gems, when she heard the noise behind her. She jerked around and saw one of the last faces she wanted to see. Rena Rouge.

"Go away," she rasped. She looked at the hero. The Fox Warrior was as soaked as she was, she had never seen any of the Miraculous holders look so bedraggled before, and the thought struck her as strange. It didn't matter anymore. "Just go away," she said in a rough whisper, "I've lost enough today already."

"Oh, good god, Chloé," Rena said, dropping her transformation and dropping to her knees next to Chloé as Alya. Chloé looked at the girl and saw that she was just as soaked in her civilian clothes as she was in her Miraculous form. She hadn't known that it would carry over like that, not that it mattered anymore. "Are you okay?"

"No," Chloé croaked. "I'm n-not even cl-close to okay, how c-could you even ask that?"

Alya pulled the blonde into a hug that Chloé was too weak to fight off. Was Alya crying? "Why did you run off like that? You scared us all to death!"

"S-She was yelling at m-me, a-and m-my ears were r-ringing, and I c-couldn't think, she j-just looked so angry, so furious, a-and I st-started crying, and I d-didn't want to b-be s-seen by a-anyone," Chloé stuttered, shivering. "I w-was sc-scared, n-nothing m-made sense, and I j-just…I c-couldn't face her, c-couldn't f-face anyone. A-I c-couldn't st-stand to have h-her look at m-me like that."

Alya pulled the shivering blonde in closer. "Oh, Chloé, that wasn't it at all. Yes she was angry, but that wasn't why. Did you not hear anything that she was saying?"

"I c-couldn't," Chloé admitted, "ears w-were ringing. I f-felt sick. Still d-do."

"You terrified her, Chloé. That sound…You dropped like a sack of grain, and then we heard the sound of your Miraculous hitting the ground, saw the light scattering and sputtering around you…and then the akuma _screamed_. I've never heard a sound like that. It was like he was fighting himself. Ladybug called up a lucky charm, and we broke his key item, but he didn't even really resist. He was sobbing, wailing when he changed back," Alya told her in a quiet voice. "We ran over, but…Ladybug was crying, and she did something that poured more power into the Miraculous cure than she ever had before, and then everything was back, but you still weren't moving. And then you did move, and all the fear and terror and grief and love all spilled out of her all at once, and she wasn't really making any sense, and then you got up and ran. And our timers were running out, so we had to take the time to transform. And as soon as she did, Mari dropped like a stone. Completely exhausted. The storm started rolling in, and Adrien and I had to carry her to a café, so we could get her out of the rain. We got her some food and coffee, and got extra cookies for Tikki – who is _still_ exhausted, Ladybug can barely move right now – and then we were finally able to get her home. But you were gone. So we all recharged the Kwami some more, and then headed out to find you. We've been looking for hours now, Chloé. We were afraid something happened to you."

"B-but, M-Mari h-hates me now," Chloé stuttered.

"Mari could never, ever hate you Chloé. She loves you too much," Alya told the girl.

"Th-then why w-was sh-she yelling so much?" the blonde asked in a whisper.

"Because you died, Chloé!" Alya snapped. "You died, and it almost broke her heart!"

"D-died?"

"Yes, you died!" Alya growled.

"B-but I'm here _now_!" Chloé protested.

"The Miraculous cure put you back together, Chloé. She knew that her cure had that kind of power, after Timebreaker, but she had never really thought about it before. Not until she saw it heal you," Alya told her softly.

"M-maybe I w-wasn't ac-actually dead?"

Alya sat back, and looked Chloé in the eyes. "Chloé. A massive chunk of stone, or maybe concrete, struck you right in the head. I can't describe the sound that it made, but we knew without a doubt, the moment we heard it, that you were dead. There was so much blood, Chloé. And then you hit the ground, and the Miraculous fell from your hair. When we transformed back, Plagg and Trixx told us that the only time a Miraculous will drop from a transformed holder like that is if that person is dead." Alya stared into Chloé's eyes, and the blonde knew that every word was the truth.

"Oh, god," Chloé whispered. "Oh, god."

"Yeah," Alya said. "So when you came back, when you moved, you can understand why she freaked out a little bit. She thought she had lost you, Chloé. And then we tried to chase you down, and Marinette found that letter." She sat back, and stared her blonde friend in the eye. "If you ever hurt my best friend like that again, Chloé, we will be having _words_. And then I will _kick_ your perfect little _ass_."

Chloé couldn't speak. She could barely breathe. Marinette didn't hate her. She had died. She was back. Marinette still loved her. Her head spun, and she fell against Alya. The taller girl took her into a hug, and rocked her as Chloé's crying began again, great tearing sobs as all the pain and loss and relief and fear and sickness all came boiling out of her at once. She heard footsteps, and looked up to just in time to see a pale blur, and then she was wrapped in _her_ arms. She felt those arms clutching her tightly, heard Marinette's sobbing whisper in her ears, and even though she couldn't understand a word of it, she knew that they were words of love, however fiercely they might be spoken. She felt the kisses on her face, felt her girlfriend rock her in her arms, felt the warmth that seemed to fill her just by being in her arms once more.

Chloé wasn't really aware of anything other than Marinette for a long time, but she was vaguely aware of being carried, and then she was in somewhere warm, and the motion rocked her into a sleepy daze, and then she was moved once again, and she saw flashes of light, and felt heavier for a moment as she was moved upwards. Then she was in a place with familiar sounds, familiar blurs, and she was being stripped by three pairs of strong hands. She heard running water, and the sound lulled her into sleep again for a moment, and then she was shaken awake, and carried once again. She felt the warm water envelop her, and the heat of it soaked into her chilled body. She floated, warm, and realized that a pair of arms was around her, holding her upright in the water. She felt the body behind her, the bare flesh touching hers, and her eyes popped open. She tried to turn and tilt her head back, but she was still muzzy, and couldn't manage it. Then she heard Marinette's voice in her ear again, and her face burned as she rested against her girlfriend's nude body. She hadn't even imagined such a thing yet. She imagined such a scene in the future, when they weren't both exhausted, and freezing, and wrung out from the day's events, and her face burned more. She was thankful for the bath, that the heat would hide her flush from anyone watching. Her nipples betrayed her thoughts, but she hoped it went unnoticed. She closed her eyes and leaned back against Marinette, and luxuriated in the heat penetrating into her bones. She must have nodded off, because the next thing she knew she was being carried out of the tub – her girlfriend was so _strong_ , and it made parts of her turn to goo knowing that – and then she was wrapped in towels and rubbed dry and warm. Then she was in those arms again, and they carried her and lay her down in a bed – her bed, in her suite at Le Grand Paris. It was so soft, but it was big and cold and lonely…and then she felt a body next to hers, and more bare skin, and then there were blankets, and then more blankets, thrown over the pair of them, and part of Chloé wanted to protest, even as she snuggled into Marinette's form.

"It's just to keep you warm, beloved." The soft puff of warm air against her ear, that angelic voice. Chloé snuggled in deeper, clutched her girlfriend – her love – tight, and finally drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	9. The Dreamy Letter

The first thing that Chloé felt was warmth. Gradually, the rest of her senses came into focus, but everything was still slow and detached. She thought she might have been disassociating a bit, and wondered how long it had been since she had taken her medication. She would worry about that later. She was warm. She felt safe. She felt movement, and the presence of a warm, naked body next to hers suddenly came into her awareness. Softness covering steel-cord muscles. A smell of sugar and baking bread and vanilla. Smooth, flawless skin. _Marinette_. Chloé thought that she really should feel embarrassed snuggling up to her girlfriend while they were both nude, but she felt too safe and protected to feel embarrassment. Here, nothing could hurt her. Here, she was home. She cuddled deeper into the body next to hers, pulling Marinette's body tight to hers.

"Good morning, Chlo," she heard the soft voice of her girlfriend. "I'm glad to see you awake. I was so worried about you." She heard a tone of mirth in Marinette's voice, and wondered what the cause was. Then Marinette started speaking again. "I know you've said that I have a great butt and legs, but you don't need to squeeze them so hard, they aren't going anywhere, love."

Chloé squeaked and pulled her hands back so quickly that she was sure she had friction burns on her fingertips. "I am so sorry, Mari, I wasn't trying to…" She stopped when she felt the girl next to her start to giggle. "You are so mean, Mari," she murmured, threading her arms back around Marinette's body and pressing her hands between the girl's shoulder blades. "I love you anyway."

"I love you always," Marinette said in return.

"That's very sweet, but I hope that those hands are in more appropriate places now," said a voice that Chloé had come to know very well. She felt a weight shifting at the bottom of the bed, and she realized that Sabine Cheng had been sleeping at the foot of the bed. Part of Chloé was mortified that her girlfriend's mother had just caught her in an awkward position, but another part heard the love in Sabine's voice, and that calmed her fears.

"Mother!" Marinette said, sitting up. She was holding the sheets up in front of her, which gave Chloé an unobstructed view of Marinette's back from her neck to her bottom. Marinette's hair was down and in loose tangles, and Chloé felt her face go aflame again as she thought about running her hands through that loose hair while kissing. That had been happening a lot recently. Damn teenage hormones. Why did her girlfriend have to be so amazingly _sexy_? Not that she was complaining, but…she focused back on what Marinette was saying. "…so we didn't do _anything_. We snuggled. We had a really, really bad day yesterday, and I needed to know that she was still here. She needed to know that I still love her. We almost lost everything yesterday. Twice."

Chloé sat up with a start, catching hold of the sheet as Marinette held the edge up for her. She leaned into the blunette just a little as she looked at Sabine. She looked…worn. She had on a really cute pair of silken pajamas, the part of Chloé that catalogued that sort of thing noted. She had an inscrutable look on her face, and Chloé didn't know what to think. She decided to go with a question, more information was always good. "Mari," she said quietly, "what is your mother doing here?"

"She met us here when we brought you back from the park in the limo. Alya and I, we didn't know what to do. You were freezing, and incoherent. You were trembling and blue. We needed help. We needed a mom, but Alya's was in the middle of dinner service, so I called mine," Marinette replied. "She, well, she…"

"She's really good at keeping secrets," Sabine interjected. "Much better than a bunch of teenagers are. It was so cute that you thought I never noticed you going out – your father is much less perceptive, and didn't want him to worry – but I assure you that I did." She stared at both girls with a no-nonsense look. "I'll be having that talk with him now, though. He deserves to know what his girls are up to, if only so he understands why you might not come home someday. Like Chloé almost didn't come home, yesterday."

Dread had been creeping up on Chloé when Mme. Cheng had started speaking – she was definitely Mme. Cheng at the moment – and now she was almost ready to panic. "She knows?" Chloé hissed at Marinette.

"Yes, she knows," her girlfriend said in a resigned tone. "Mom, can we get dressed before we continue this conversation?"

Sabine seemed to consider this for a moment. "I'm not sure. I like the advantage this gives me – you can't run away. But it will probably be more comfortable for all involved. Alya is in the bathroom at the moment, and is getting dressed, but I need to call young M. Agreste and ask him to meet us here. You are very lucky that I understand the need for secrecy, or I would be talking to M. Agreste and the Césaires about this." She turned and headed for the door. "Ten minutes, girls."

Chloé hopped up, unabashed, even before Marinette's mother made it to the door, and she strode to her closet, nude but not naked. She put just a bit of a strut in her step as she walked through the door. She pulled out comfy panties and a huge Ladybug sleep shirt that hung down to mid-thigh. She dragged out a pair of white pajama bottoms with cute little ladybugs printed all over. Dressing quickly, she went back out into the main room of the suite. Marinette was bent over, pulling clothes out of a bag that Chloé assumed her mother had brought, and she could only be thankful that her girlfriend had already gotten her bottoms on – such as the were. She had on the same short shorts she had been wearing in the picture Alya had sent her those few short weeks ago, and every time she saw them, Chloé's mind locked up. _Damn_ , her girlfriend was sexy. It wasn't fair. Marinette stood, and she pulled on a tshirt – one of the brand-new Queen Bee-themed shirts that had just been released.

"It's nice to see you have taste," she heard herself saying, "Queen Bee is the best of Team Miraculous – after Ladybug, of course."

Marinette grinned. "Of course." The door between them opened, and Alya walked out of the bathroom in an orange tank top and black silk pajama bottoms. She looked both of them over, and noted Chloé's apprehensive look.

"I see the Mari-mom has already struck her first blow. Chloé, you look like shit," Alya said.

Chloé made a rude gesture. "Anyone who uses my bathroom is not allowed to be bitchy to me for an hour afterwards."

"I'm just using all the bitchiness I have in the bank from before," Alya countered.

Chloé started to speak, and then she realized that she didn't really have a good comeback. Then the door opened, and Sabine walked in. Apparently Adrien had already been in the hotel, because he walked in behind her. Mme. Cheng pointed to the lounge area, where the pouring rain could be seen through the windows, and gestured for all of them to move there. Chloé was pretty sure this wasn't going to be very much fun.

She was right. It wasn't.

LFC LFC LFC

Alya walked down the street next to Adrien, umbrellas raised, keeping him company until he reached the Agreste Mansion, or The Gorilla caught up with them with the car, whichever came first. Walking allowed them to talk, and the rain kept their voices from carrying.

"Mme. Cheng was tough," Adrien said, "but she was fair. Thank god she isn't going to tell my father. I would be grounded for eternity."

"She understands keeping things secret," Alya replied. "She knows that we aren't even happy with _her_ knowing, but since she does, she can help guard our secret with the rest of the parents. I have a feeling that Chloé, Marinette, and I are going to have a lot of unscheduled sleepovers. We might as well all keep clothes at each others' homes. You might even want to keep a few outfits around, Adrien."

"Marinette is going to need a bigger room if you start sleeping over, too."

"Nah," Alya said, "she and Chloé always snuggle in her loft, so I can sleep on the chaise."

Adrien stumbled, but caught himself. "I keep forgetting that. I just can't picture two people sharing that little bed. _Any_ two people," he added at the look from Alya. He walked for several paces before turning to look at Alya. "Are you sure Chloé is okay?"

"No," Alya said, "but I'm sure that she'll get there. We're here for her, and we can get her through this," she said with conviction.

"You're a good person, Alya," Adrien said.

The blogger snorted. "I'm a nosey, manipulative bitch," she said. "Maybe one with a heart of gold, and things have worked out better than I could ever have hoped, but I'm still not that good of a person."

"I think you are," the model replied. "You stand by your friends. You protect them. You ran out in the rain for two and a half hours looking for Chloé. I know you got soaked before you ever transformed, and you stayed out in the pouring rain looking for someone who, a month ago, you wouldn't have given the time of day to. That makes you a good person, Alya."

"I'm glad that you think so," she replied, "but you are a much better person than I will ever be. You are a goddamn saint, putting up with some of the crap you do."

"I kind of bank it. I follow along with the schedules and the routines and the demands, so that when something like yesterday and today come up, Nathalie forgives me for missing whatever little stupid thing I missed," Adrien replied. "It's very much like banking – I deposit good will, and when I have to do Chat Noir stuff, I make a withdrawal. If I have less in the bank than I need for a particular incident, then Gabriel gets involved, and things are much less fun."

"You are still a saint, Adrien Agreste."

"If it pleases you think of me that way, who am I to argue," he said in reply. "Of the two of us, I'm definitely more saintly, anyway."

"How do you figure that?" Alya asked.

"Because you are _lewd_ , Alya. You revel in making me blush, and you tease me all the time," Adrien said, his face heating and his cheeks pinking. "On patrol, you're always in my personal space now, and you press up against me from behind, and you're always teasing me and whispering in my ear, and you sway your hips better than half the models I work with. You are a tease, and you are _lewd_."

Alya dropped her umbrella, holding it behind her as she stepped under Adrien's and got in very close to him. "I just don't want some silly piece of fluff thinking she can get her hands on you, Adrien," she said in a husky voice. "Rena is working at making you, if not less shy, then more comfortable with the teasing that girls do. It's only going to get worse, Adrien. You're gorgeous, you're famous, and you're a good man." She got closer, staring him in the eyes. "That way, when you do find someone worth your time, you're ready for her, and not a stuttering mess." She stepped back, and then flipped her umbrella back up and started walking once more. Adrien hurried to catch up.

"What was that, Alya?" he said when he was even with her.

"What was what?"

"I'm not that naïve, Alya," Adrien countered.

Alya giggled, turning and poking him in the chest, stopping them both. "You are ridiculously naïve, Adrien. It's what makes you so sweet. There is very little guile in you, and every bit is saved for hiding your double life as Chat Noir. Don't worry about it, Adrien." She walked off using the strut she usually reserved for when she was Rena.

"Alya," Adrien half-growled, catching up again.

"I know you too well to be intimidated, Agreste," Alya said with a laugh. "It's cute though."

"Why do you always deflect the conversation, Al?" he asked.

"No idea what you mean," the blogger responded.

"You never just say what you think," Adrien countered.

"No one cares what Alya Césaire thinks, Adrien," she said, stopping and facing him. "They care what the Ladyblog reports. They care what Rena Rouge does. They care that Alya is always there to back up Marinette. What Alya thinks doesn't matter," she said bitterly. "Marinette is the only one, was the only one. Now it's Chloé, and Sabrina, and you. Maybe Rose and Juleka, and Mylène. No one else even _knows_ Alya Césaire. So why bother to tell them anything that she thinks? She's just some dumb dark-skinned girl from Martinique. Not even a real Frenchwoman."

"Who said that?" Adrien demanded.

"It doesn't matter, Adrien," she said. "Too many people. They tell me I might as well date Nino, he's just as dark and just as worthless, they say. No true Frenchman will ever give me the time of day, they say. You're just as worthless as the muslim scum in the tenements, Césaire, they say. You're trying to piggyback on the fame of a real hero with your shitty blog, they say." Tears were dripping down Alya's face now, and she turned away. "I'm sorry, Adrien, this isn't your problem…"

"The hell it isn't!" he growled. "You're my partner, Alya. We always have each other's backs. In costume, or out. And all of them are fools. You're beautiful, and sexy, and smart, and you, not Rena, but _you_ , are so damn brave. You used to run into our battles with nothing but a camera, but there you were. The inimitable Ladyblogger. You are amazing, Alya. Never let anyone tell you otherwise." Adrien turned and started to walk, holding the umbrella tight against his back. He was furious, no one should ever treat his friends like that, and…

He had heard the footsteps running to catch up, but the hand grabbing his shoulder to spin him around had been a surprise. Her one hand caught with his, holding the umbrella up. The other slid into his hair, pulling his head around and tilting it slightly, and then he felt the hot breath on his cheek, right before her lips touched his. Her kiss was passionate, fierce, possessive. She nibbled on his lip, and then her tongue danced with his. She poured herself into the kiss, poured everything she had, telling him exactly who and what she was. Then she stepped back, out from under the umbrella, and she turned to pick hers up from where she dropped it, looking very unsure. Her umbrella had just come up when he was under it, his cast aside this time, pushing her up against the wall and kissing her. His kiss was more chaste, more reserved, but still passionate. He rested his forehead against hers.

"I don't know what came over me," Alya whispered, "I just felt like I had to kiss you."

"I didn't mind," Adrien replied just as quietly.

"I really like you," the blogger confessed. "I just thought that I'd never have a chance. Marinette, and Chloé, and girls like Clara Nightingale, or that Kagami girl, or Mireille, those are the type of girl that you like, not some dark-skinned Amazon like me…"

"If I hear you say anything about your skin color again tonight, I will punish you," Adrien growled.

"Are you going to spank me?" Alya teased.

"If that's what it takes," he said in reply, and Alya froze and blushed. Adrien laughed. "Finally, I shocked you to silence!"

"If you want me to be quiet, I know a better way to do that," she said, and she pulled him in for a kiss. They were still there when The Gorilla found them. The staid man simply gestured at the door of the car, and Adrien walked over, folding his umbrella and shaking it as he got in the car. Alya walked over, and when The Gorilla held up a palm, Alya held up her index finger. "Just one moment, please, M. Dupont?" The Gorilla froze at the use of his name, and Alya used the time to lean in and kiss Adrien one last time. Then she stepped back, and closed the door to the limo herself. She nodded to The Gorilla, he nodded back, and Alya turned and walked home in the rain. The weather didn't dampen her mood at all.

LFC LFC LFC

Marinette sat at her classroom desk, checking all of her assignments. She had spent the entire rest of the day yesterday making sure she had everything caught up. She was feeling a bit off this morning. It was the first morning she hadn't woken up next to Chloé since the girl had taken up residence in Marinette's room. She hadn't realized how quickly she could get used to sleeping next to someone. She heard someone come in, and she looked up to see Nathanael walk in, shaking off his umbrella and taking off his jacket. She waved at him, and he smiled and waved back. She looked at the umbrella he carried, and sighed.

She had talked to Tikki that night (her mother still didn't know about the Kwami, or what the Miraculous actually were, so she still had to be careful), and her Kwami had told her that when she had forcefully used so much luck and creation power to make sure that Chloé didn't die, she had set up an imbalance. The chaos and destructiveness of the storm was bringing things back into balance. It would pass in another day or two, and Marinette now had a lesson on one of the costs of her power. She hoped that the storm cleared up before one of the bigger heroes out there decided that it needed to be looked in on. She and Team Miraculous (she still didn't like the name, but she had been outvoted) could handle any threats to Paris. She didn't need any world-famous heroes mucking about in her city and attracting some bigger villain. Papillion was more than enough, thanks.

A piece of sealed stationary slid across her desk toward her, and she looked up. Chloé was smiling at her, a finger still on the letter. "You are such a dork, Chloé," she said, and when she reached out to scoop the letter up, Chloé took her hand and kissed the back of it before walking off to her desk. Marinette knew she was blushing, she could feel the burning in her ears. She took the letter and opened it.

 _Dearest Marinette,_

 _Waking up without you was the saddest morning I can remember. I need you near me to chase the nightmares away. Can I spend the night tonight? I want my snuggly girlfriend to keep me warm and dry. One kiss for no, two (or more) kisses for yes~_

 _Loving you more every day,_

 _Chloé~_

Marinette looked up at her girlfriend, who was giving her a cocky smirk. Marinette couldn't help but stare for a moment, even with the combs in her hair to keep it back, her hair was a riot of unruly waves today. The rain brought out the natural curl in Chloé's hair. Marinette wished she had any curl at all in her hair, but her hair was purely from her mother's side of the family. She pulled out her phone.

 **Bakery Klutz:** I'll give you your payment in kisses later, but you can stay the night. Mom and dad will understand

 **Mari'sGirl:** Yay! I really did have a bad dream last night so i really appreciate it

 **Bakery Klutz:** But what's this about me keeping you warm and dry? I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of the reaction i cause in you

 **Mari'sGirl:** Asdfa;jgkhb;ieoraukg;rjkg;kjhf;ailhreg;ksenr;oaihbg

 **Mari'sGirl:** MARINETTE!1!1!

 **Mari'sGirl:** I cannot believe you just said that. Who are you and what did you do with my girlfriend?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** My question is why this conversation is in the group chat instead of in a private message, but that's just me

 **Bakery Klutz:** Aaer;kughaf;iduskl Oh God

 **BesteAgreste:** And now my eyeballs are burning

 **Bakery Klutz:** WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTING i WAS JUTS TRYNG TO BE FUNY OH GOD KILL ME NOW

 **Mari'sGirl:** Well she is right about the reaction being the opposite she is going to be getting the cold shoulder

 **BesteAgreste:** Can the married couple go fight in a private chat please now thanks

Marinette punched the screen on her phone to try and find the right message thread so she didn't embarrass herself anymore when a new message came in on the chat between just her, Chloé, and Alya.

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Girls girls girls

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I don't even know how to

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** So I was walking adrien home after that horribly embarrassing lecture by your mother, and i don't how we got on the topic but i ended up telling adrien about the harassment i've been getting because of my darker skin

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** And he got really angry and started telling me how i was great and pretty and sexy and smart and i just couldn't stop myself i just had to kiss him

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** And it was soooooo goooood. And then i stepped back and was going to apologize for kissing him without warning when he pushed me against the wall and kissed me back and oh. Good. God

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** And we were still kissing when the gorilla found us and picked up adrien

 **Mari'sGirl:** Way to go, girl!

 **Bakery Klutz:** That's so great i'm so happy for you alya

 **Bakery Klutz:** Are you dating?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** I don't know? We messaged when i got home but i don't think we had come to a decision. I would date him but i really don't know if i can handle being adrien agreste's girlfriend. I can handle dating adrien. I don't know about the famous model

 **Mari'sGirl:** Do you like him?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** What?

 **Mari'sGirl:** Do. You. Like. Him?

 **Mlle. Ladyblog:** Of course!

 **Mari'sGirl:** Then date adrien. That's who he is not the image that his father made. All adrien wants it to be loved for himself. You can give him that. You can protect him

 **Bakery Klutz:** What she said

Alya walked into the class a moment later, shaking her head as she looked at the two girls. She ran her hand up her umbrella and then flicked some of the water at Chloé, grinning wickedly. The blonde blushed and spluttered. Then Adrien walked into the room, walked over to Alya and kissed her on the cheek, and it was the redhead's turn to splutter and blush. Marinette almost fell out of her seat laughing at the antics that followed, and the rest of the class joined in the silliness as they arrived, most not knowing the reasons for the silliness, but having fun nonetheless. The warning bell rang, and Marinette called the class to order. She loved her friends.


	10. The Smoldering Letter

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _I'm burning this letter as soon as I write it, but oh my god I need to vent to someone and if I say all this aloud I'm not sure I would be able to keep my voice down. But Jesus tap-dancing Christ if one more well meaning, pretentious, ignorant adult tells me that either a.) I'm too young to really understand real love, or b.) that my liking girls is just a phase that I'll grow out of and not to ruin my life by getting that kind of reputation…let's just say that the return of demon bitch Chloé is imminent. They can have no idea what we've been through together, we've already almost lost each other to death. The thought of you dying haunts my nightmares. The thought of you leaving me fills me with dread. I don't even know if I could go back to being who I was before, even if I wanted to. I_ like _the person I've turned into, and you've been such a huge part of that…I need you now, Mari. Anytime I am unsure of what to do, I think about what you would do, and it's never steered me wrong._

 _Sorry, I just needed to vent. I love you dearly, you silly, lovely girl._

 _Always~_

 _Chloé_

Chloé was just pulling out a folding metal lighter that she kept for just two purposes – melting wax to seal letters with, and for burning things she wrote that need to be destroyed. She had gotten it after her second failed attempt to write Marinette. There were things in those letters that she had tried to share, things that she never wanted anyone else to know, that she wanted to be absolutely sure they were gone. She flicked the lighter open, but stopped when she heard footfalls on her balcony. She turned to see a flash of red light as her girlfriend reverted back to her civilian form. Tikki flew in the doors, presumably to grabbed a cookie off the tray that Chloé always made sure was in the room now. Marinette eyed the letter, and Chloé handed it over. She watched her girlfriend read it, and then Marinette handed the letter back. Chloé held up the lighter, and Marinette nodded. Once the letter was burning well, she dropped it into a flowerpot that she had had put on the terrace, also for this purpose.

"I'm not sure anyone could figure anything out from that letter," Marinette said, "but best not to be careless." She pulled Chloé into a hug and just held her quietly. "Some people are rather… troublesome, aren't they?"

Chloé snorted. "That's one way of saying it. I hate it. I know we're fourteen, people tell me constantly. I just wish…I wish that we could just stay together. Even if your house is small, I like it there. Mama Sabine is wonderful."

"I think she would love it if you called her Mama Sabine, you know?" the blue-haired girl said. "She's one of your biggest fans now. She remembers how awful you were – sorry, dear – and she sees the changes and she is so damn proud of you that I think she might burst. She also says that you are in great need of being mothered, and that anytime you are feeling lonely, you can come by, even if I'm not there." She kissed Chloé's cheek, and the nuzzled into her blonde hair. Chloé could hear her inhale, and it made her shiver just a bit.

"Do I smell nice today?" the blonde asked.

"Mmhm. Like honey, and tea, and cloves. Love it." Marinette whispered. Chloé shivered again, then pushed on her girlfriend's arms, stepping out when she was released.

"We should go and patrol, so we can get back and snuggle for a bit before you have to go home," Chloé said.

"I like this plan," Marinette replied. "Will you brush my hair?"

"You really like that, don't you?" the blonde asked.

"It's so relaxing. I like how your run your fingers through the worst tangles before you start to brush," the blunette confessed.

"Well then, let's go, so we can get back!"

"Right," Marinette said. "Tikki!" she called out.

"Pollen," Chloé added.

"Transform us!"

LFC LFC LFC

Nino sat at his desk next to Adrien, watching his friend. Things had been strange lately. Marinette and Chloé had started dating, and then suddenly they, plus Alya and Adrien, were always together. Nino was feeling some serious bro-neglect right now. He watched Alya step up next to his blond model friend, and he half-tuned out the discussion about what kind of juice Adrien wanted from the vending machine. Then his friend took Alya's hand in his own and brushed a kiss on it, and Nino bit back a stab of jealousy. Not because of the relationship the pair seemed to be forming, because Adrien was the best bro a guy could have, but that Adrien had everything that drew girls in. First Marinette (and Chloé), and when that pair had paired off together, Alya had decided that she wanted Adrien as a boyfriend. That hurt, because Nino thought that they had been headed toward some kind of understanding. He knew that Alya liked him, but…there was something there now. Something that kept them divided. And there was nothing he could do to change it. He let out a soft sigh, but apparently he hadn't kept it quiet enough, because Adrien turned to him.

"What's wrong, Nino?" his best friend asked.

Nino bowed his head. There was no way to say what he was thinking about without seeming like a jerk. "Just…just life, bro."

"It's Alya, isn't it?"

Nino winced, but nodded. "Well, kind of. I'm happy for you, and for her. I just thought she and I had something, you know?"

"I know, Nino," he said with conviction. "You have no idea how well I know."

Nino did a double take. "What, you got turned down by a girl, bro?"

Adrien gave him a look that said he was the biggest idiot in the world. "I had finally realized that I liked Marinette, and I thought she liked me back, but she started dating Chloé." The reality, of course, was much more complicated, but since Nino couldn't know about their double lives, it was a good half-truth.

"Ouch," Nino said. "Marinette is a little heartbreaker," he added with a grin.

"I hope not," Adrien replied. "You saw what Chloé was like when Mari was in the hospital. Can you imagine what would happen if she got her heart broken?"

"Global Thermonuclear War?"

"What?" Adrien asked.

"My English tutor has be reading a book that has a lot of American pop-culture references, so every time I don't get something, I have to look it up on the 'net. It means that I read four or five times as much as I would just reading a normal book. It was a reference to a movie talked about in the book," Nino replied.

"I have no idea what you're talking about right now, Nino," Adrien said, but the tone said that he was joking.

"That's how I feel reading this book, man. I have to read each chapter twice, once to find all the references and look them up, then a second time just to actually read it without having to stop three times a page," the DJ said. "And she won't let me go and watch the movie. So mean," he added.

"Is your tutor an adult, or someone our age?" Adrien asked with a grin.

"Our age, but no dice, she's dating Kim," Nino said in reply.

"Ondine is your tutor?"

Nino nodded. "I think this is her way of getting me the most bang for my buck. She's really busy, so she gives me assignments that end up getting me a lot more than just reading a few pages. We discuss it the next session, and she prods and pokes to make sure I actually understood it. Which is great, but it's still a pain."

"Sounds like. I'm not sorry about Alya, but I am sorry that I managed to hurt you again, Nino."

"It's all good, bro, just…shit happens."

"To be fair," Adrien said, "She kissed me first. I was still a bit oblivious. She was kind of teasing me, but she was saying that it was just to keep me on my toes, like Chloé before. And then something upset her, and I was comforting her, and got angry on her behalf, because no one should treat her like that, and I guess that overwhelmed her and she kissed me. And, I know it's TMI, but when Alya kisses someone they know they've been kissed. And that's all I'll say."

Nino shook his head. "TMI, bro, TMI."

"Sorry," Adrien said. "So, are there any other girls you like? I'm pretty sure Sabrina isn't dating anyone."

Nino gave Adrien a look that said he thought Adrien was out of his mind. "Sabrina is cool. She's even cooler now that she's not Chloé's yes-girl. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't strangle each other in a week."

"Alix?"

"Alix scares me, Adrien," Nino confessed.

"I can completely understand that feeling. Sometimes she scares me, too," Adrien agreed.

"I'm not sure if she's pissed that Kim got a girlfriend because she liked him, if she's pissed because him having a girlfriend takes away time from their constant competitions and bickering, or if she's just pissed because of the inequities of life, but she's been in a bad mood for a quite a few days now," Nino told his friend.

"More than…?" Adrien asked.

"Way more than…" Nino replied. The whole class knew Alix's cycle because she was alternately violently angry and extremely weepy for the two days before, and had been since the middle of Sixième. Everyone knew not to take anything she said on those two days seriously, and also not to provoke her. The guys had clued Adrien in his first week at Françoise Dupont. For more than two days generally indicated other causes, but as to which ones…it was best not to ask, and possibly incur Alix's wrath. The fact that the whole class knew her cycle was reason enough for Alix to get violent, so keeping her unaware of that fact was in _everyone's_ interest. Maybe someone could get Rose to ask. Rose was nice enough that Alix wouldn't hold anything against her, and in the off chance that she did, Rose could take care of herself.

"Hmmmm," Adrien said in thought. "I don't know what she would say, but we could put a good word in for you with Clara Nightingale…"

"Oh lord," Nino said, laughing. "You don't have to find me a girlfriend, bro. I'll find one in my own time."

Adrien started to say something, but then Alya came running in the door, grabbed her phone, and ran back out the door. "Akuma attack!" she yelled. The whole class just laughed. They knew Alya wouldn't make it back before the lunch break was over, and also that it would be politely ignored. Having a blogger of some international renown as a student was a feather in the school's cap, so minor irregularities were smoothed over.

"Damnit, Alya!" Adrien said. He jumped up and ran out after the girl. Nino chuckled. It was probably for the best, someone needed to make sure that Alya didn't accidentally get killed. Nino pulled out the lunch he brought and opened it up, munching away at the contents.

"Clara Nightingale, hmmmm?" Nino shook his head. "I have no idea where that boy gets his ideas." Nino pulled out his phone and pulled up the Ladyblog, wondering how long it would be before Alya would start posting photos or video. He was in the middle of reading an article on the two new girls from a new contributor to the site when he heard someone clearing their throat as if to catch the attention of…he looked up, and say a girl standing there. A cute girl standing there. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place her name.

"Hi," the girl said. She was really cute, actually. She was blonde, with longish hair, but it was pulled into two tails, rather like Marinette's, but longer. She had pale blue eyes – damn it, what was her name? "I wanted to ask you…well, Sabrina asked me to ask you…maybe it's stupid, but there's been a bunch of students in this school that got turned into akuma, and we're kind of forming a support group, and would you be interested?"

Nino shivered. His nightmares from his time as an akuma were unpleasant, but they were so surreal that they didn't have the impact of the dreams that some of his friends had to deal with. Still, maybe he could help people. "Sabrina suggested me?"

The girl nodded. "She said she was seeing a trauma counselor, and that if we got together as a group, we could do a group session. The counselor apparently said it would be covered by the national insurance, or by the fund they have established to help akuma victims. And I…I want to do it. But I am really hoping I'm not the only one, so could you at least come to the first? And maybe convince some of your friends to come? Most of the kids in here are a bit much, or are too shy to do any better than me…"

"Rose isn't," Nino told her.

"Rose is scary as shit," the blonde told him. "She lives close to me. I saw a guy grab her back a couple months back. She ran after him, did some crazy-ass parkour martial arts shit to catch him, and laid the guy out like it was nothing."

"Ah, you've seen the secret Rose then. Yeah, she's scary as shit. Her and Alix both."

"I was in class with Alix in Sixième. I know," the girl replied.

Waaaaaaaait…Nino knew who she was, now. "Aurore! That's who you are."

The blonde nodded. "That would be me, yes."

"Aren't you a little more outspoken than this, normally?"

Aurore winced. "That's kind of why I want to do this…I've been a mess."

"I think it's pretty strong that you admit that you need help with it," Nino replied, trying to think of the sort of thing Marinette would say. "Although you do have one disadvantage compared to the rest in this group; you weren't akumatized after an incident with Chloé Bourgeois."

Aurore's mouth twisted wryly. "I think I could do without membership in that club," she said.

"Ah, Chloé doesn't do that anymore, anyway. Marinette would get mad at her. And apparently the threat of no cuddles and kisses are enough to keep Chloé in line," Nino told her.

"Chloé and Marinette are really dating?" Aurore asked. "I thought that was a crazy rumor. They fought constantly!"

"Things changed. Chloé stayed at Marinette's house the whole time she was in the hospital, Mari's parents have practically adopted Chloé," Nino said. "I'm not really supposed to know this, but all of her changes came after she was turned into Anti-bug. She didn't like what she saw in herself, and so she decided to change it."

Aurore nodded. "I see. So, um…would you be willing to come?"

"As long as it doesn't interfere with anything in my schedule, sure, I could come," he replied.

"Can I sit with you?"

Nino looked at Aurore for a moment. "Whyyyyyyyyyy do you want to sit with me?"

"Um, w-well, th-that is…" Aurore stammered. "Um, Iwantedsomeonetoholdmyhandandyou'reniceandIthinkou'rereallycute"

"I caught none of that, sorry," Nino told her. "Could you say it so I can actually hear it?"

Aurore blushed. "I wanted someone to hold my hand and you're nice and I think you're really cute."

"I have one question, and then I can agree," he said.

"What it is?"

"Did Adrien put you up to this?" Nino asked.

"Adrien Agreste? I would die if he talked to me," she confessed, "but he's way too pretty for my tastes."

"Thanks I think?" Nino said.

Aurore blushed. "That sounded bad. I'm awful at this. I'm not even asking for a date, or anything, I just want to get to know you more. I want to know people outside my class, and your class is where things happen. And you're cute. And I like your music. I can still talk to people that I know with confidence, it's my public confidence that's shot. You're bold, and brave, putting yourself out there to DJ. I want you to help me learn to be like that again. And I just want to spend time with you, okay?"

Nino nodded. "That sounds cool. Not a date, just a couple friends hanging out and talking about things that they have been through."

"A couple of cute friends hanging out," Aurore said.

"Oh, good!" Sabrina's voice came from behind Aurore. "Did you convince Nino?"

"I'll come to the first one – if I can, anyway – Sabrina. Just let me know when," Nino replied.

"Oh good," Sabrina replied. She winked at him, then walked off.

Nino looked at Aurore. "I think Sabrina's playing matchmaker," he told her.

Aurore looked over her shoulder. "I think you're right. But it can't hurt, can it?" she asked. "If nothing else, we get a new friend?"

"I like the sound of that," Nino said honestly.

"Me, too."

LFC LFC LFC

"You really shouldn't manipulate people like that," Nathanael told Sabrina.

"I'm not manipulating them," Sabrina countered. "Aurore came and asked me about how I dealt with the nightmares from being akumatized. She had heard I was getting help, which I haven't been shy about letting people know. I realized that a lot of this school has had to deal with that, and that maybe a support group would help. I know we have students that are less willing to join. Nino might be okay, but I think everyone should at least talk to someone once about it."

"That's fine and all," Nathan said without looking up, "but you really shouldn't use a support group as an opportunity to match-make. That's kind of shifty. We redheads have a bad enough reputation without you adding to it."

"Just because you have no soul, Nath, doesn't mean that I don't. I have at least one soul every day, at breakfast," Sabrina told him with a smirk.

"You're a lot more fun without Chloé's hand shoved up your ass," Nathan said.

Sabrina spluttered for a moment. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Like a sock-puppet, Sabrina. Like a sock-puppet," the artist told her.

"Oh," Sabrina said. "Yeah, I can see how someone might see it that way. And anyway, what about…"

"If you make any jokes about things in my ass, Sabrina, there will be repercussions. And I as sure as hell am not doing anything with _anyone_ until I'm fifteen," he told her. "There are way too many people out there trying to punish gays just for being gay. I'm not going to give anyone an extra excuse. 'Underage deviant' isn't a name I want thrown my way, thanks."

"Sorry, Nathanael," Sabrina apologized. "You're right, and I know that, I was just giving you crap."

"You're lucky our moms are cousins, or I would not put up with your shit, you ginger harridan," Nathan said, maintaining his gaze at his sketch.

"Ginger harridan," Sabrina mused. "That's a good one. I give you full points."

"Oh thank god," Nathan said in a monotone, "my life is now complete."

"You suck," the girl told him.

"Not til I'm fifteen, I don't," he replied.

"Gah!"

LFC LFC LFC

 **RainbowGothGirl started a chat with FiercestFlower**

 **RainbowGothGirl added Bestredheadgirl; DiscothequeDJNino; HaxxorMaxxor; MeekMylene; SoullessArtist; FlippinHerFins to the chat**

 **SoullessArtist:** Who is flippinherfins?

 **FlippinHerFins:** Ondine Marceau

 **FiercestFlower:** I invited her. She knows things

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** That's nice i don't even know things. Hey, teach. What is this group?

 **FiercestFlower:** People who have noticed things going on with mari, chloe, alya, and adrien

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Should we even be talking about this in a chat?

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** We're running on an encrypted chat channel

 **Bestredheadgirl:** How does that work exactly?

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** I hacked your phones. Your phones are all running a custom message client that piggybacks onto the normal network

 **SoullessArtist:** How did you even do that?

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** I cheated my brother was one of the programmers i got a copy of the source code from him one of the other programmers could break into it but no one else can

 **Bestredheadgirl:** I'm not sure i'm comfortable talking about this but i know i can't stop the rest of you, so i'm staying

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** So what is this about adrien and the girls?

 **SoullessArtist:** Nino don't act dumb, i know you noticed the changes in that group. They are a lot closer now. And there are a lot of coincidences recently that point to certain things

 **FlippinHerFins:** This is about some of kim's classmates probably being team miraculous isn't it?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Wait what the actual fuck?

 **FlippinHerFins:** You didn't know?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** How do you even think that you've only met them like twice. And why did you not say something before

 **FlippinHerFins:** I didn't say anything because you are buds with adrien. And I know because i listen. Kim talks a lot about you all. And seriously everyone in your class except for two people have been turned into akuma and that doesn't raise any flags? How the hell is it that papillion hasn't tried to turn them? Why has he targeted so much of your class?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Chloe

 **SoullessArtist:** Chloe

 **MeekMylene:** Chloe

 **RainbowGothGirl:** Chloe

 **FlippinHerFins:** Wow okay then

 **MaxxorHaxxor:** Not going to defend her brina?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** No chloe knows what she did and she is trying to better herself. And if you call me brina again i can get rose to admonish you

 **MaxxorHaxxor:** That's okay no i am sorry Sabrina

 **FlippinHerFins:** Isn't rose like the smallest girl in your class? I think that's what kim said

 **RainbowGothGirl:** Rose is a tiny whirlwind of violence

 **FiercestFlower:** You say the nicest things Juleka!

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Can we get back to my bro and his besties being chat noir and the miraculous ladies?

 **MeekMylene:** That kind of sounds like a band name for some indie rock group

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Focus

 **MeekMylene:** Sorry

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Okay what coincidences?

 **SoullessArtist:** Marinette gets hurt and is in the hospital and there are no eyewitness accounts of ladybug anywhere except the ladyblog until she gets out

 **FiercestFlower:** There was eyewitnesses to queen bee getting half crushed by blocks of stone on rue de montmorency. She changed back, and had blonde hair just like chloe's. Ladybug healed her at the end of the fight, she ran off into the rain. Several hours later marinette alya and marinettes mom drag a half-drown half-frozen chloe into le grand paris. Chloe and marinette have been almost inseparable since then

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Did anyone get video or photos of queen bee in her civilian form?

 **SoullessArtist:** If anyone did they still haven't posted them online anywhere

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Okay I can see some coincidences, anything else?

 **RainbowGothGirl:** Multiple eyewitness reports of queen bee and ladybug yelling at the mayor for being homophobic after the frightengale incident. The mayor had kicked marinette and chloe off the set because he saw them kissing. His daughter kissing another girl is apparently a political scandal he wanted to avoid. It's why chloe was staying with marinette for a while. The fact that i was using her suite while mother was getting a new houseboat for us was a convenient excuse for both parties. Queen bee very nearly kicked his ass.

 **FiercestFlower:** Also Chloe is the world's biggest ladybug fan, and played ladybug in the video, but marinette would have been a much better physical match, and chloe could have been bee. But they insisted on playing the rolls they did

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** How do you find these things out?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Police reports

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** Police reports, eyewitness video from the incident, and it was a music video shoot, there were cameras and microphones everywhere. If it's stored on a computer connected to the internet, it can be found

 **SoullessArtist:** I'll visit you both in prison

 **MeekMylene:** Please don't get caught

 **FlippinHerFins:** I'm pretty sure alix is filtering what alya is seeing on the forums right now because she has suspicions too

 **SoullessArtist:** That's another coincidence alya suddenly brings people on to help run the ladyblog right after rena rouge appears? She's been so damn ocd about that blog for so long, and then she suddenly brings four people on to help without weeks of existential angst that we all have to bear witness to? Or without having a breakdown?

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** Very good point

 **FlippinHerFins:** Wait is soullessartist nate?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Nathanael

 **SoullessArtist:** Nathan, yes

 **FlippinHerFins:** So your name is a ginger joke?

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** Nathan run run fast run far

 **SoullessArtist:** Yes it's a ginger joke. I may not have a soul but i have a sense of humor

 **FiercestFlower:** No bullying the hapless ginger

 **RainbowGothGirl:** He may be an idiot but he's out idiot

 **RainbowGothGirl:** *our

 **Bestredheadgirl:** He's an out idiot too

 **SoullessArtist:** Hey i resemble that remark

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Focus plz

 **FiercestFlower:** Also mari and adrien have always vanished before lb and cn show up. Excepting timebreaker but that was time being broken

 **RainbowGothGirl added FUiskatewhereiwant to the chat**

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** That must be alix

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Fuck you too max. In fact since i'll probably have to say it to everyone before the end of the night fuck all of you.

 **Bestredheadgirl:** You're such a delicate flower alix

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** You just earned yours brina

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Was just getting it out of the way

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** Wait why can she call you brina?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Because she's alix and nothing i say will stop her. Even rose doesn't scare her

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Oh rose scares me but she loves me too much. Smol girls need to stick together and all that. She mylene and i have a club together. Midget girls of mme. bustier's class

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Also fuck you again max

 **FlippinHerFins:** Hi alix

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Oh fuck who let the demon bitch from hell in

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Oh, hi, ondine!

 **FlippinHerFins:** Hi midget, why are your panties in a twist today?

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Usual stuff, class sucks, getting harassed about grinding rails again, and some tall ginger bitch stole my best friend

 **FlippinHerFins:** He's the one being stupid and avoiding you, i'm not making him. I told him that i don't care that you two are friends or that you hang out or anything. Everyone can witness me saying it even. Kim's a dear but it takes time for an idea to make it all the way into his brain. He's extremely loyal though, and he doesn't gossip about his friends. Trash-talk yes, gossip no.

 **FlippingHerFins:** And you say the sweetest things!

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Can we focus now?

 **RainbowGothGirl:** Why start now?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** So what do we do?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** We help protect their identities. And we don't tell them we know until and unless they are willing to tell us, or in dire circumstances. For example if they won't transform because you are there and are locked together in a room, and bad things will happen if they can't transform. If it's necessary you'll know that it is.

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Why are kim and ivan not in here? I know why lila isn't

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Fuck lila too. Especially fuck lila

 **SoullessArtist:** Does someone have a crush?

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Does the ginger asshole want the whole chat to know about his crush? And no, even if i liked girls she's too tall, too bitchy, and her butt is way too flat. I'm a big enough bitch for three people i wouldn't want to add any more to the equation

 **FiercestFlower:** Kim isn't here because we're going to let ondine bring him up to speed at kim-speed, not chat speed.

 **MeekMylene:** Ivan doesn't know, and he's too focused on his interests to care. As long as it doesn't threaten him or me then he doesn't care.

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** I'll keep the ladyblog running smooth. As long as nothing blows up alya is giving me a lot of freedom. Anyone know where i can get another mod?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** I can ask aurore if she's interested

 **SoullessArtist:** Oh?

 **FiercestFlower:** Ohhhhhhh?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** You stepped in it

 **FlippinHerFins:** The weathergirl akuma?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS

 **FlippingHerFins:** Because i got turned into an akuma and i took it really personal and so i've been studying about them ever since. I've read about every single akuma incident, emailed a bunch of the victims, anytime i'm travelling to a meet or well anywhere i'm doing akuma research. I will drown that asshole papillion and i am not even joking. Water is my escape and my life and he tried to ruin that and i will do everything i can to help destroy him

 **FlippingHerFins:** Sorry i just took it really personal

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** I take it back you aren't bad for an amazon ginger giant

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** BTW nath if i did like girls i would like girls like ondine because damn

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** No seriously i think your muscles have muscles ondine

 **FlippinHerFins:** preens

 **FlippinHerFins:** You say the sweetest things, truly

 **FiercestFlower:** I want to know about aurora

 **SoullessArtist:** I want to know too

 **RainbowGothGirl:** I wouldn't mind knowing who Nathanael has a crush on

 **MeekMylene:** Marc Anciel

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Marc Anciel

 **SoullessArtist:** HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS

 **SoullessArtist:** And mylene how could you betray me so?

 **MeekMylene:** Juleka pays me chocolate for what i know

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Because I'm the best redhead girl

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** I'm pretty sure nath is the best redhead girl

 **FiercestFlower:** Alix that was mean

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Sorry nathanael

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** I want rose's superpower to make everyone behave

 **FiercestFlower:** Come to the dojo and we can get you started

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** Because getting thrown around by someone two-thirds my size can't possibly be embarrassing

 **FiercestFlower:** We'd start you with the lowest levels, a lot of which are young kids. You'd be thrown around by people one-third your size

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** I would pay to see that

 **SoullessArtist:** Agreed he's kicked my ass at video games enough it would be like revenge that someone else gets for me

 **FlippinHerFins:** Are we done? I have practice in ten mins

 **Bestredheadgirl:** I don't think we have anything important to discuss tonight. Are you coming to the support group at CFD?

 **FlippinHerFins:** If I can get off of practice i might, no one else at my school has been an akuma so no one really gets it

 **FlippinHerFins:** Thank you for the invite

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Team ginger protects their own

 **FlippinHerFins:** You are a dork sabrina. Night all

 **HaxxorMaxxor:** I have to go also. Doing a livestream in fifteen. Bye

 **RainbowGothGirl:** The rest of my things from the old houseboat were delivered and rose is helping me unpack and decorate, so we will talk to you all later

 **FiercestFlower:** Nino i want details about aurore later!

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** You won't stop bugging me til i tell you will you

 **FiercestFlower:** Well duh

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** …okay message me later. I can probably use some advice, i'm not sure if i like her or just like the idea of being liked

 **FiercestFlower:** You know that much which makes you better than 99% of all boys ever. I will be happy to help

 **FiercestFlower:** Bye

 **FlippingHerFins has left the chat**

 **RainbowGothGirl has left the chat**

 **Bestredheadgirl is now the chat admin**

 **FiercestFlower has left the chat**

 **HaxxorMaxxor has left the chat**

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** I need to put out a flame war between the three fanclubs and the shippers. I so wish i could tell them that ladybug and queen bee are dating. Fuuuuuuuuck alya for talking me into this

 **FUiskatewhereiwant:** Oh and fuck you nino grow some balls and just ask aurore out. Fuck you nath because fuck you lila is a word even i won't use. Fuck you brina because oh I already told you fuck you. Oh and unfuck you mylene because you are too sweet for words and besides ivan might kill me

 **MeekMylene:** I knew you didn't mean it =)

 **FUiskatehwhereiwant:** Also fuck juleka and rose for leaving before i had a reason to say fuck you to them

 **FUiskatewhereiwant has left the chat**

 **MeekMylene:** I need to go help fix dinner, see you tomorrow at school

 **MeekMylene has left the chat**

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Are you going to be okay nino?

 **DiscothequeDJNino:** Yeah just was a bit much to have all my suspicions brought into the open like this. I'm all good, see you tomorrow

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Bye nino

 **SoullessArtist:** Bye nino

 **Bestredheadgirl:** Are you still here Nathanael?

 **Bestredheadgirl:** I forgot about you

 **SoullessArtist:** I hate you so much

 **DiscothequeDJNino has left the chat**

 **Bestredheadgirl has ended the chat**


	11. The Troublesome Letter

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _The Mayor has asked me to be present for a political dinner this weekend. I told him that I would not attend without you at my side as my escort, and he has (reluctantly) agreed. Would you do me the honor of escorting me to the ball? One kiss for no, two kisses for yes, three kisses for certainly~_

 _Always~_

 _Chloé_

Mme. Bustier looked back and forth between Chloé and Marinette. The two were standing at the front of the class. She contemplated reading the letter aloud, but it didn't hold any truly embarrassing material, and Chloé certainly would not be bothered by such an action in any case. Instead, she continued to give the girls a cold, unamused stare. "Mlle. Bourgeois, could you please educate my as to why you felt it necessary to try and slip your girlfriend a note in class? An actual, physical letter, no less? Surely you could have discretely messaged her, if nothing else. Not that I would encourage such behavior, but certainly it would have less noticeable. Do you have any excuse?"

Chloé seemed to consider her answer for a moment, then smiled and took a breath. "Mme. Bustier, letters between us have…a history, now. It took me fifteen drafts to be able to actually write a letter I was happy to give her. Writing things down – it makes it more real for me, somehow. More personal. I admit my timing was poor, but the thought was distracting me, and…"

"By writing the letter to Marinette, it would distract her, instead?" the teacher asked.

"Not…precisely," Chloé responded, "Although that did have something to do with it. I also think that when she blushes, Marinette is completely adorable, and it would have cheered me up. Dealing with my father is very trying right now, Madame."

"Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, do you have anything to add?"

"Um, maybe, but I'd probably get in more trouble," Marinette admitted. "I do love getting notes from her. It's physical evidence that she loves me."

Caline Bustier was not without a heart. She sighed. "Sit back down, we've distracted the class enough. I want an essay, five hundred words, from each of you as to why passing notes in class is not in the best interest of your continued academic pursuits."

"Yes, Madame," they chorused, then hurried back to their seats. The giggling of their classmates around them was almost worse than the scolding. They had never been so thankful when, fifteen minutes later, there was an akuma attack

LFC LFC LFC

Aurore Beauréal ran down the street, her bag on her shoulder. She leapt over the rubble in the street, and heard Nino do the same behind her, but they didn't stop. They turned the corner and saw more damage, which told them they were getting closer. "They're in the Plaza de Georges Pompidou," Alix's voice said in her wireless earbud. The shorter girl had called her when they ran out of the school, skating ahead to try and catch up to the battle and direct them. "Jagged Stone was filming a music video and according to one of the rigging guys, his manager apparently finally pushed Penny, Jagged's personal assistant, over the edge. She's been tearing up the place. I must say, I can't really tell any difference. That is one ugly building."

"We're almost there," Aurore told her, almost out of breath. She was still getting used to this running thing. She'd only been training for a couple weeks. This was the third akuma attack she had tried to cover, and the farthest so far. She and Nino, who was acting as her combination sound and camera man, had missed the first battle completely, and had arrived just in time to catch Ladybug use her Miraculous cure on the second. They had gotten a good shot of both that and Team Miraculous bounding up to the rooftops and out of sight, and she had managed to record a good voice over to accompany it. She was getting some of her old confidence back. The meetings had helped. Nino had come to the first with her, and had held her hand when she tried to talk about it. It took her three false starts, but finally she was able to tell her story, and to admit she had nightmares. It took her until the third meeting to talk about what the nightmares were, but it had helped. Nino had been great, and was a good friend. A great friend, even. A friend that had started to displace her nightmares with sweeter dreams. He was even nicer than she had thought, and was rather shy, and she was getting a bit frustrated, actually. Was he ever going to try and kiss her?

She focused on the task at hand. They turned the corner, and skidded to a stop. Nino pulled the camera out and began to record. Aurore dropped the bag she carried and pulled out a microphone, turning the earbud off as she pulled it out of her ear. _That_ she had practiced until she had gotten it down cold. She and Nino crouched down behind some sound equipment, and he began to film as she narrated. It was perhaps two or three exciting minutes before they cornered the akuma and broke her item, freeing her. Even as Ladybug was casting her charm item into the sky to call down the Miraculous cure, Aurore and Nino were moving. "Ladybug!" she called out, "Aurore Beauréal, representing the Ladyblog, do you have a moment?" The heroine started to turn, but hesitated, and then, seeing Aurore, she seemed to relax and walked over, Rena Rouge accompanying her. Queen Bee was with the victim, apparently just keeping her company and talking to her softly. Chat Noir's timer had been chiming when they had arrived on scene, so she knew he had almost been out of time when he left the scene. She heard Ladybug's timer chirp once, but it was slow, and she had only called her Lucky Charm forth two minutes ago. Aurore had to make this quick. "Just two questions, Ladybug. First, have you learned any more about Papillion, his motive, or who he may be?"

"We know very little about him still, but his obsession with our Miraculous seems to have grown. Recently, his hold on some of his victims seems to have lessened, and in one case his victim seemed to collapse during the battle," Ladybug replied, then she gestured to Aurore to continue.

"Second, during the Frightengale incident, you were seen having heated words with the Mayor. Can you elaborate as to what they were about?" Aurore asked. She knew the answer, of course, but she was hoping that she could get Ladybug to restate her feelings on camera.

Ladybug hesitated for just a moment, but then nodded. "The Mayor had expressed disapproval for an affectionate display between a pair of lesbian young ladies. He claimed that it was not personal, but political. I told him he was a hypocrite, and that there shouldn't be any difference between the two. Especially as one of the girls was his own daughter. That is not how a father should act." The chiming of Ladybug's timer was quicker now, and she gave a little wave. "I must leave, but thank you for giving me a chance to speak my views. I believe that everyone is equal, and that love is all that matters." With that, she whipped out her yoyo and hurled it into the sky, snagging a rooftop and swinging away.

Rena Rouge watched her go, then turned to Aurore. Queen Bee walked over and joined her. There was no chiming sound from either of them. Aurore grinned. "Could I get a statement from either of you?"

Queen Bee seemed to mull this over, but Rena stepped forward. "I'd just like to add that, in addition to what Ladybug said, that Team Miraculous believes in the equality of race, gender, religion, and nationality. We are all people, whatever names you put on us. No one is better than anyone else." She tapped her cheek. "This isn't a suntan. The color of a person's skin doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what they do, the actions they take and the causes they defend."

Queen Bee leaned in. "Team Miraculous doesn't want to be involved in politics. We will not speak for or against any party or any politician. We _will_ speak out about the issues, and for what we believe in. We've already made our positions clear, and we have no intentions of discussing case-by-case arguments. Good is good, bad is bad. Sometimes good people only have bad choices, but that does not make them bad people. How they deal with the outcomes of those choices is what matters." She put her hand on Rena's shoulder. "We should go, Rena."

"Thank you Rena Rouge, and Queen Bee. Extend our thanks to Ladybug and Chat Noir." As the heroes turned and started to leap away, Nino turned to center Aurore in the camera's view as she turned to face the camera. "Team Miraculous has stopped another akuma with their usual élan and style, and thwarted the continued schemes of the villain Papillion. Reporting for the Ladyblog, I'm Aurore Beauréal." Nino stopped the recording and lowered the camera. Aurore seemed to hyperventilate for a moment, and then she let out a high-pitched squeal and leaped on Nino, giving his a fierce hug. "I did it I did it I did it!" she squealed. "Oh my god I did it!"

Alix skated over. "That was…actually pretty great, Aurore," she admitted. She winced, holding her stomach, and Aurore frowned, then let go of Nino and fished in her bag, pulling out a bottle of water and a small pill bottle. Nino froze, and Alix glared, but Aurore opened it, pulled out a couple of pills, and handed them and the water over.

"Don't be stubborn Alix, just take the pills," Aurore said softly, and Alix nodded and downed them with a slug of water.

"Thanks," she muttered. "I'm headed back to school, should I make an excuse for you?"

"We'll catch a train," Nino said. "That way we can strip the video and upload it on our way." Alix nodded and skated off. Nino stowed the camera, Aurore grabbed her bag and stowed her microphone, and they started jogging for the underground station. "You are damn brave, Aurore," he told her after a minute.

She shrugged. "She needs to not be stubborn, and use what's available to help treat her symptoms. It's not like she can change her biology short of surgery. And she doesn't have a mom to help her out with that kind of thing. I'm not part of your class, so she might accept my help easier."

"Still brave," Nino said. "But thanks for trying to help. I don't like seeing a friend suffer. And frankly, she's an angry bitch when she's PMSing, so if you can help, or get her to seek out help, that would be awesome."

The novice reporter nodded. "Biology sucks, but you deal with it," Aurore said. They made it to the station, figured out their route, and quickly bought tickets. They ran to the platform to catch the next train, and flopped into seats as they entered the car. Nino pulled out a laptop booted it while Aurore took the camera and stripped the memory card from it, slotting it into the laptop. She put another memory card in the camera, swapped out the battery for a fresh one, and tucked the camera back away. Nino had the video editing program open, and Aurore pulled a set of headphones out of her bag and jacked into the second audio port, Nino's pair plugged into the first. They listened to the six and a half minute video, and after ensuring that there were no problems with it, Nino entered the commands to stabilize and reduce to HD from 4K, then started the render as Aurore unplugged.

They left the train at their station, and by the time they made it back to street level, the video was ready for upload. Nino set it to upload upon reaching a high-speed connection, and then tucked the computer into his bag. They started running when they got to the street, and ten minutes later they were entering the school. Lunch was almost over, but they had only missed one class period, half of which had been during the akuma attack, when everyone was taking shelter. Nino powered up the laptop, which began to upload once it was finished restarting. Alix came over and gave both of them a high five.

"Thanks," she murmured to Aurore, then said, "You guys did awesome. I can't wait to see the video, I hope Alya is happy with it."

"It's uploading now," Nino said.

"I need to get to my class," Aurore said. "But that was _amazing_. I can't believe I did it!"

"Better than being a weathergirl?" Alix asked.

"So. Much. Better," the blonde enthused. She hugged Alix, then gave Nino a longer, tighter hug, looked at him oddly, like she was waiting for something, and then she grabbed her bag and ran off.

"You should have kissed her," Nino heard Rose say from behind him.

"What?" he replied.

"You. Lips. Aurore's. Lips," Alix said. "She's been waiting for it for two weeks. Every time she walks away, she lingers like she's waiting for you to do something."

"But if she wants a kiss, why doesn't she just kiss me?" Nino asked.

"Aurore is a very traditional girl in some ways," Rose said. "She wants the boy to make the first move."

"Because that's _so_ easy," Nino muttered.

"Only if you make it difficult," the pixie blonde answered.

Alya ran up to Alix and Nino from the door. "That. Video. Is. Awesome!" she said. "Why didn't I ever have you running a camera for me?" she asked Nino.

"Because you're OCD about the Ladyblog and couldn't bear to let any bit of it out of your hands," Alix replied for Nino.

"I'm not OCD, I'm CDO," Alya replied, "the letters are in alphabetical order, like they are supposed to be," she added, finishing the joke. The warning bell rang, and she groaned. "Back to the grindstone," she said, trudging back to her seat. The others scattered back to their seats, and soon, class resumed.

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Marinette sat on the edge of Chloé's bed in her favorite pajamas, waiting in anticipation. She was nervous and excited at the same time. This was the first time she and Chloé had done something like this. The bathroom door opened, and Chloé was in a pair of yellow silk pajama shorts and a white camisole. She walked toward Marinette, wrapping her in a hug before kissing her softly. "Are you ready?"

"Mmhm. Are you ready for this?" Marinette asked.

"Give me a kiss, and I'll be ready," the blonde replied. Marinette gave her a soft, gentle kiss, feeling Chloé grin through the kiss.

"I think I told you to kiss me like…" Chloé was cut off as a hand tangled in her hair and pulled her into a passionate kiss. "That's more like it," she said, leaning against Marinette. "I love you, Mari. That's why I'm ready for this." Marinette kissed her again, and then Chloé giggled. "You're a bad influence on me."

" _I'm_ a bad influence?"

"Oh of course," Chloé said with a smirk. "I'm ready now, love."

"Okay!" Marinette giggled. Then she ran to the door and threw it open, and Alya, Sabrina, and Alix walked in, each with a bag on their shoulders.

"About time," Alix grumbled. "I thought you'd make us wait forever while you were probably making kissy faces."

"You're just jealous," Chloé said, sticking her tongue out at Alix.

"Is that a threat or an offer?" Alix retorted.

"Do you _really_ want to try and poach from Mari?" Alya asked.

"I wouldn't suggest it," Sabrina added.

Alix drooped. "You all suck."

There was another knock at the door, and upon opening it revealed Juleka, Rose, and a very nervous looking Aurore. "The coolest kids have arrived," Juleka said in a deadpan.

Alya ran over and grabbed Aurore's hand, dragging her toward Alix. "You are damn awesome, Aurore," the tall redhead said to the twin-tailed blonde. "I wasn't sure – I freely admit I'm a bit obsessive about the Ladyblog – but you deserve every bit of faith Nino and Alix put in you. Your last report was amazing!"

Aurore ducked her head. "I just took your advice, Alya," she said quietly, but then she raised her head and met the blogger's eyes. "I want this. I want to be a reporter. This is my dream."

"I think you're well on your way, Aurore," Marinette told her. "Now, all you ladies should go get changed into your sleepwear so we can get this girls' night started. I'm so excited! Chloé and I are so glad you all came!" There was another knock at the door, and Marinette ran to the door. She opened it to let Ondine Marceau. She closed the door behind the redhead swimmer, and bounced through the room back to Chloé. "That's everyone!"

"Mylène isn't coming?" Alix asked.

"She has something with her father tonight," Rose replied.

"That's too bad," Alya said.

"Are we going to keep shunning Lila?" Rose asked.

"Only until she stops trying to be Bitchy Chloé Mark II," Alix said with a snarl.

"Maybe she's bitchy because she's excluded?" Ondine opined. "I mean, I don't know the girl, but if everyone is ignoring her, it doesn't give her a lot of reason to change." The rest of the girls mulled this over.

"I think we should give her a chance," Marinette finally said. "Maybe invite her the next time we have a group for coffee?"

"That's better than inviting her over to a girls' night, I don't think I can handle her smugness and sense of superiority," Alix said.

"Be nice, Alix," Rose told her.

Chloé walked back in with a tray laden with chocolate truffles. "Who's for chocolate?"

"Please!" Ondine said, maneuvering toward the tray, only to be stopped by the blonde's raised hand. "Pajamas first."

"Oh, fine," the redhead replied. The bathroom door opened and Aurore walked out. Juleka and Rose made for the door and walked in. Ondine, on the other hand, just began to strip.

"Bold much?" Alix asked.

"If you ever were in a swim locker room you would understand," Ondine replied, dropping her bra and pulling on a tank top. She undid her jeans and let them drop to the floor, then pulled out a pair of really short athletic shorts. "I have seen things no sane woman was meant to see. Now give me chocolate, I'm starving."

Alya, watching the exchange, and Ondine's casual indifference, decided to change right there as well. She was soon in a Majestia tanktop and fuzzy red pajama pants. "Sooooo," she said as Juleka and Rose walked out of the bathroom, and Sabrina went in. "Aurore, tell us about Nino! How did that all happen?"

The blonde reporter flushed. "Really? Do I have to?"

"You don't," Marinette told her, "but we're all kind of dying to know."

"Well," Aurore said as she sat down on the ottoman at the foot of Chloé's bed, and the rest of the girls arranged themselves on the floor around her, "it was kind of simple to start. I knew he was into video because of the movie your class did. I wanted to ask him to do some filming of me, to try and work through some of my issues." She sighed. "But I couldn't approach him. Your class has some kind of mystique around it," she added. "And I was really struggling with nightmares about being an akuma. Dreams about being a puppet on strings, or of Papillion stealing my soul. I finally asked Sabrina how she coped and how therapy worked, and she told me about the support group. But I didn't want to go without a friend," she said in a rush, "and all the time I had spent watching Nino made me really aware of him. I felt a bit bad for him, he hadn't had much luck recently, and I thought that he was much too handsome and sweet to be alone, and I realized I had a crush. And then Sabrina told me I should ask Nino to go with me if I needed someone to lean on, because he seemed to be handling his time as an akuma victim well. I have no idea how she knew that I liked him," she confessed.

"Because I'm the best redhead girl," Sabrina said, emerging from the bathroom in a white nightgown.

"What does that even mean?" Alix asked. "Also, I'm pretty sure Ondine, Alya, and I would object to that assessment."

"We have a lot of ginger girls here," Chloé observed.

"Fear our ginger powers," Ondine quipped.

"I wanna hear the rest of Aurore's story!" Rose interjected.

Aurore ducked her head. "There isn't a lot more to tell. I just wanted to spend time with him, and then Alix suggested that maybe I could work through my confidence issues by being a reporter for the Ladyblog. I didn't have any other ideas. Then she suggested that Nino could be my cameraman since he knows his way around video gear." She glared at Alix. "I almost fell apart right then, but then I remembered what Sabrina told me, and I accepted the offer. It took a bit, but I think that I'm ready to try this thing now." She looked around quickly, and then slipped down off the ottoman to sit on the floor with the rest of the girls. "And I'm really happy I got invited to this. The girls in my class aren't nearly this close."

"That's because we're awesome," Alix said. "Also because Marinette won't let us be bitches, and Rose intimidates us to being nice."

"Rose is a sweetie!" Aurore said.

"Rose is a hidden badass," Juleka informed her softly. "Plus, she's too cute to say no to."

"She is cute," the blonde agreed. "What I want to know is how Marinette and Chloé went from being mortal enemies to sappy snuggly marshmallows."

"Marinette is simply irresistible," Chloé said.

"Chloé wasn't giving herself enough credit," Marinette replied.

"Marinette has legs that never end and an ass that should be in an encyclopedia as the platonic ideal of an ass," Chloé said, sticking her tongue out. "Wait, that didn't sound right."

"I thought Kim was the platonic ideal of an ass," Alix interjected.

"That's my boyfriend, midget," Ondine said.

"That's my best friend, you Amazon demon," Alix countered.

"Oh my god can you just kiss already?" Alya said.

"Kiss her?" the two girls said in a chorus.

"She's like twelve," Ondine said.

"FOURTEEN," Alix yelled.

"I'm not a cradle robber," the swimmer said undeterred.

"cough kim cough," the skater said.

"AND I don't like girls," Ondine added.

"AND she's with Kim," Alix said.

"What I wouldn't give for a couple bottles of wine," Alya said. "I would love to see how they could react then."

"Be nice, Alya," Marinette said.

"Why does everyone keep thinking Alix needs to kiss a girl?" Aurore asked. "I've heard rumors about her and Lila, and Ondine, and Sabrina."

"Me?" Sabrina asked. "Why do I get dragged into all these shipping discussions?"

"Because you never express any interest in guys. Or girls," Rose told her.

"Because I don't like either," Sabrina told her. "I just like matchmaking."

"Speaking of, are we doing anything to help Nathanael with Marc?" Rose asked.

"Let him flounder for a while," Chloé argued. "Both of them need backbones."

"I hate it when I agree with Chloé," Alix grumped.

"You get used to it," Alya countered.

"Can we pass the damn chocolates before I have to kill someone?" Ondine asked. "You do know that I eat like five thousand calories a day when I'm swimming, right?"

All the other girls stared at her in amazement.

"I need to get start swimming," Alya said.

"Agreed," a chorus of girls said. That seemed to break the serious mood of the group, and they dragged the tray of chocolates to the middle and began to pick out the choice morsels.

"All right!" Alix said suddenly. "Can we play some video games or watch an action movie or something? If this slumber party gets any more stereotypical I may gag. Seriously."

Chloé looked over the girls. "Do any of _you_ want to try and play Mari at Ultimate Mecha Strike 3? Because if we play video games, she's going to insist we play that first." The girls from Mme. Bustier's class all shook their heads, excepting Alix.

"I could give it a go," Ondine said.

"I've never played before," confessed Aurore.

"Cheering section!" Rose said. They moved over to the lounge and got out the game and the controllers, with Ondine, Alix, Marinette, and Aurore sitting in the center on the sofa, which had been turned and moved closer to give a better view. Cushions were laid out around the couch and the remainder of the girls sat on these. Chloé walked up by Marinette and sat down in front of her, leaning against her girlfriend's legs. Marinette eyed the blonde askance but didn't say anything, and everyone settled in as the title screen of the game came up, and they started to play.

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Two hours later, the sofas had been rearranged again so that all the girls had a seat as they watched a movie. Aurore was seated in front of Marinette, who was brushing and braiding the girl's hair as her forfeit for losing. Chloé was seated behind Marinette and was doing the same to her.

"I still don't know how you beat me," Marinette told her. "You said you've never played."

"I haven't!" Aurore said, keeping still as the brush slid through her hair. "I was just smashing the buttons!"

Alya laughed. "That's usually how newbies win. The experienced people can't predict what the newbie is going to do because they don't know either. It doesn't last long, though. I would enjoy your victory, Aurore."

"This is kind of nice," the blonde reporter admitted.

"You're lucky that I was generous enough to share," Chloé muttered as she ran her brush through her girlfriend's hair. Aurore giggled.

"Do you want me to brush your hair, Chloé?" Rose asked. Rose was a bit bored, because Juleka and Sabrina begged off participating – Juleka because she already had her hair pulled up into the rainbow ponytail she had worn at the pool, and Sabrina just because she said no. Ondine and Alix were in the unusual (for them) position of trading hair care tips. Alix's hair got extremely dirty, and so she had a fairly intense hair care routine, with an intensive stripping of the dirt and oils followed by equally intense conditioning. Ondine's hair was short because of how her hair reacted to the chlorine still used in many of the pools she swam in - her home pool used bromine salts, which weren't as damaging – but she still had a fairly detailed care routine that kept her hair fairly soft and downy.

"That's okay, Rose," Chloé said, and Aurore could see the girl's hand coming up to rest on one of the combs in her hair out of the corner of her eye.

"What is this movie, there's just one guy in it," Alix complained. "He's a cute guy, but still."

"More people will show up later, Alix," Sabrina said. "He's the only guy on the screen because he's the only one left on Mars. It has some good science in the movie, just watch. There will be excitement later."

"Oooooh, he just went shirtless," Alix said, turning fully to the screen to get a better look. "That is yummy. Look at those pecs!"

"He's bleeding, Alix," Juleka said softly.

"He's being a badass and _stapling his own wound_. Okay, I can see why I might like this movie. I need popcorn!" The smallest redhead of the group exclaimed.

Aurore giggled. This was the most fun she had had in a long time. She looked over at Sabrina and mouthed the words 'thank you' to her, and Sabrina just nodded. Marinette finished tying off her braids, and she settled herself more comfortably on the couch. Chloé finished with Marinette's hair, and then slid back to the floor, sitting in front of Marinette again, pulling the combs out of her hair and holding them in her hands. Marinette ran her fingers through Chloé's hair a few times before she began to brush the girl's blonde mane. Aurore watched with fascination at the care and tenderness the blue-haired girl showed in brushing her girlfriend's hair. "You really love her, don't you?" Aurore realized she had asked the question out loud, and she felt a bit embarrassed.

"I do," she heard Marinette say. "After I got out of the hospital, we decided that we shouldn't hide behind excuses anymore. It's love. It doesn't have to make sense, sometimes, but I think that what we have is amazing." She looked over at the movie. "Alix is right though, Damon is pretty handsome. Not Adrien handsome, but handsome enough. And he's got a good body."

"He can be on your celebrity cheat list, Mari," Chloé said, looking up.

"I don't think he's _that_ good looking," Marinette countered. "I don't need a celebrity cheat list, anyway," she continued, Chloé's hair now fanning across her knees.

"We should watch this in English," Ondine suddenly said.

"There is _way_ too much science in this movie for me to follow the English," Alix said in a counter-argument.

"It's the next book I'm going to have Nino read for our tutoring sessions. His eyes may begin to bleed," Ondine said with a laugh.

"Don't be mean to Nino!" Aurore said fiercely.

"Don't you mean, 'Don't be mean to my boyfriend'?" Alix asked the girl. Aurore blushed bright red and turned away.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Aurore said with no heat.

The girls giggled. "The only reason he isn't your boyfriend," Chloé said, "is because he's too much of a _boy_ to get the courage up to ask you out."

"Truth," Alix said, with Sabrina, Juleka, and Rose all nodding.

Aurore buried her face in her hands. "But how do I get him to do that?" she wailed. "I don't know what to do or how to do it!"

"Don't ask Sabrina for advice," Juleka warned in a quiet voice. "She's evil. She's help you, but she'll get her fun out of it when she does." Sabrina looked shocked, but didn't seem to have any ability to deny the accusation.

"You could just kiss him," Alya said. "Boys tend to figure things out after that. It worked with Adrien, anyway."

"I can't do that!" Aurore said.

"Why not?" Alix asked.

"Why can't you tell Ondine that you like her?" the twin-tailed blonde said.

"I do _not_ like Ondine!"

"Denial," Rose, Sabrina, and Chloé all said.

"Not," Alix responded. "You guys suck."

"My kingdom for a bottle of wine," Alya muttered. Marinette finished with Chloé's hair, and helped the blonde put her combs into her hair.

"You know what? Fuck you." Alix turned, pulled Ondine into a kiss, and then released her.

"What the hell!" the redhead swimmer yelled.

"Just showing these jackasses that they should shut up," Alix growled.

Ondine glared at her for a moment, then looked at the other girls. "Can you stop giving her shit now, please? I'd hate to see what she'll do if you continue, but I can assure you that if something happens, I _will_ kill all of you."

"And I'll hold you down while she does it," Alix said. "I don't have a crush on her. I'm jealous of the time she spends with Kim, yes, but that's because he and I have been thick as thieves since Sixième and it's weird that he suddenly has a lot less time. And no," she continued, "I don't have a crush on Kim. That would be weird as hell."

"Can we shut up and watch the movie?" Alya asked. "I want to see how he 'Sciences the shit out of this planet'," she said.

"I am all for this," Alix agreed. "Keep my nonexistent love life out of this."

Aurore reached over and squeezed Alix's hand. "I've got your back, Alix. The Ladyblog girls have to stick together, right, Alya?"

"We watch out for each other and for the integrity of the Ladyblog," Alya replied.

"See!" Alix and Aurore said to the other girls. Aurore got up and walked over to the couch Alix was sitting on, and sat between her and Ondine. This seemed to suit both redheads, and they settled back into the couch. The rest of the girls settled back down, Chloé climbing back onto the couch and snuggling into Marinette, Rose sitting sideways with her legs over Juleka's thighs, Alya piling a bunch of cushions together and building a nest, and Sabrina taking one cushion and sitting on the floor in front of where the two couches met. The talking stopped, the girls relaxed, and enjoyed the comfortable companionship of watching a good movie with a great group of friends. It would not be the last.


	12. The Long-Distance Letter

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _I have no idea what possessed me to think that accepting my mother's invitation to visit was a good idea. Seeing her at work as a fashion critic, seeing how she treats people, reminds me of how I used to be. I can only guess that much of how I acted, I learned from her. I was only six when she left, so I can't be certain. All that I know is that there is nothing that I want from the woman anymore. I don't need her approval, I don't need her attention, I don't need her suggestions, and I don't need her in my life. When I leave she can go back to that empty shell of a life that she has, thinking that she's important because she makes people feel awful about the clothing that they poured their hearts into designing. God, she's a horrid woman._

 _On the good side, New York is amazing. It's loud and bright and there is so much going on all the time. There is every kind of food in the world here, and while it isn't up to our standards, there is just so much of it. I have eaten so much unhealthy but delicious food in the past week that you would be proud. The best thing about all the training we do together is that I can eat as much as I want and not get fat. I have hours in the morning that I don't need to be around mother, and I use them to see as much as I can, as fast as I can._

 _I saw Majestia yesterday, flying through the streets of Manhattan. She's amazing, and so fast! No sign of Victory, but apparently Knightowl and Sparrow are in town. They usually only come out in the evening, though, and I'm in the middle of fashion show nonsense at that point. I know that I used to care about all of this so much – and to be fair, I'll still fight someone over a good pair of shoes – but it seems like it was another person doing it. Don't get me wrong, I like being fashionable, but I'm not going to let it consume me anymore. If_ you _want to keep making me clothes, though, I am totally for it. And as I'm your primary model for women's fashions right now, I'm pretty sure you will. You really need to pick a label name soon. And it needs to be a name for_ you _, not a name for us. This is your dream, I just support you in it. I have no talent in it. I want you to be as proud of yourself as I am of you._

 _Audrey is yelling for me, so I'm going to wrap this up. I miss you so much. Even though I'm having fun, I know how much better it would be if I was sharing it with you. I love you with all my heart._

 _Always~_

 _Chloé_

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"You know," Alya said to no one in particular, although it was only herself, Marinette, and Adrien on top of the school roof, "if this was a cartoon, all the wacky miscommunications that seem to be part of being a teenager would lead to awkwardness and maximum embarrassment before a life lesson is learned. Instead, we get to deal with people being possessed by a lunatic asshole with control issues."

"You have to admit," Adrien said, "That it _was_ an absolute comedy of errors and misunderstanding that lead to Marc becoming Reverser. And I think that he and Nathanael have been able to straighten all their issues out."

Alya snickered. "Straightened out. Yeaaaaah, that's _totally_ what happened with Marc and Nathanael."

"Poor choice of words?" Adrien said. "You knew what I meant."

"She's just being a butt and jerking your chain, Adrien," Marinette told him.

"I predict weeks of awkward hand-holding, stuttering, and the sharing of coffees before anything approaching a kiss happens between those two," said Alya.

"No disputing that here," Adrien said.

"Agreed," Marinette replied. "I love Nathanael to death, but he is so painfully awkward sometimes. He is the artiest artist I know. And that's coming from _me_."

"So how's Chloé?" the sole male member of Team Miraculous asked. "I saw you had a letter from her when you came back from lunch today. I recognize her stationary."

"She should be back day after tomorrow. She's ready to kill Audrey," the blue-haired girl added. "And I think the real reason she accepted the invitation was to get to New York. She said she saw Majestia."

"So. Jealous," Alya said emphatically.

"Agreed." Adrien said. "It would be awesome to see some real superheroes."

" _We're_ real superheroes," Marinette told him flatly.

"Yeah, but it's not like we can watch ourselves, it would be nice to be on the outside for once during a crisis," Adrien countered.

"Been there," Alya said. "It's much cooler on this side."

Marinette sat up, and turned to look at the other two. "So what do you think about Master Fu's request?"

"I'm not sure," Adrien said. "It seems reasonable. What do you think about it?"

"I'm more disturbed by it than anything, if we're being honest," Marinette said. "Master Fu needs to hold onto his Miraculous. He needs it to protect the rest of the Miraculous items. It's bad enough that Papillion has Nooroo's Butterfly Miraculous, and that Duusu's Peacock Miraculous is missing."

"Isn't that all of the Miraculous, though?" Alya asked. "I thought that the box that the Guardian showed us was empty."

Marinette shook her head. "There's another whole level to the box. Twelve Miraculous talismans, based on the Chinese Zodiac."

Alya sat up, looked slightly disturbed. "Yeah, those falling into the wrong hands would be bad."

"Agreed," Adrien said, joining the other two in sitting up.

"You're right," the blunette said with a nod, "but those Miraculous aren't as strong as yours, Alya. Adrien and I have the two strongest – yin and yang, creation and destruction, good luck and bad. Then the next five are the Butterfly, Peacock, Fox, Turtle, and Bee Miraculous."

"So what are those based on," the blogger asked.

"Classical Chinese elements," Adrien answered. "Fire, Water, Wood, Earth, Metal"

"No air?" Alya asked in surprise.

"This was an _ancient_ list. Air just _was_ , when the concepts were written down," the blond model said.

"Chinese lessons are obviously paying off," Marinette joked.

"Sometimes."

"So who is what?" Alya asked.

"Trixx is fire, foxes and fire are linked in folktales. Wayzz is probably metal, because he has shielding properties. Pollen is probably wood, because flowers and bees and such. Duusu is almost certainly water, because Nooroo isn't. Which makes Nooroo earth. Or Wayzz is water, Duusu Earth, and Nooroo metal," Adrien said. "But this is just guessing. Really, the elemental roles aren't nearly as important as what their actual powers are."

"Still," Marinette said, "Master Fu wants us to think about a new holder for Wayzz."

"I thought about Nino," Adrien said, "But he's got a thing going with Aurore now, and we all know how hard having any kind of relationship – especially with the kinds of secrets we hold – can be. And there's no way, even if Master Fu would consider parting with one of the Zodiac Miraculous, that we could trust her with one yet. Not because she's not a good person, but because _I_ for one am not ready to share my identity with her yet."

"Agreed," Alya and Marinette chorused.

"I agree that Nino would be a decent choice, and if an emergency comes up, he can always be a one-time user. Any other ideas?" Marinette asked.

"Rose has the ability to use it, but asking her to keep a secret from Juleka would be impossible," Alya said. "Mylene is too shy, and she had Ivan, and vice-versa."

"If we're eliminating members of a couple as a first choice, then Sabrina and Alix would be the prime candidates," Adrien put in.

"But Alix is modding the Ladyblog and is handling a lot of the coverage duties. That's the same problem with Nino and Aurore," Alya said.

"I really don't want to put Sabrina in the position of lying to her father, though," Marinette said, and the other two winced.

"Yeah, that would be a big problem," Adrien agreed. "And it's not like he's just some beat cop. He's a Lieutenant, and is in charge of the Akuma Response Team in the field. That's way too much of a conflict of interest."

"Is there a reason we're only looking at our class?" Alya asked.

"Because we know them the best out of anyone," the blond model replied.

"Max is about the only one left, unless we're still considering Alix," Marinette said.

"I don't want to rule Alix out," Adrien said. "She's got the attitude to be a hero."

"Too much attitude," Alya countered. "How long before she screams, 'I'm going to kick your fucking ass, you dickhole!'"

"…I can see it," Adrien admitted.

"Max is a bit too passive," Alya said.

"So was I before I got my Miraculous," Marinette said.

"Same," Adrien admitted. "I let my father and Nathalie completely arrange my life."

"And I let Chloé walk all over me," Marinette said.

"Hmmm," Alya said. "I don't know, then."

"Maybe we should all think on it for a few days then," Marinette said.

"Best idea yet," Adrien agreed.

"Seconded," Alya said.

"The motion is carried," Adrien concluded.

"You two are idiots," Mariette told them.

"Yup," they chorused.

"Alright. I have assignments to do," Marinette said. "Let's head out."

"We're going to go get some dinner together," Alya told her, putting her hand on Adrien's.

Marinette fake-pouted. "Fiiiiiiiiine. You two have fun. I'm going to do homework, eat chocolate, and miss my girlfriend."

"Sounds like a full schedule," Alya laughed. "Goodnight, Mari."

"Night, Marinette," Adrien put in.

"Good night, you two." With that, the trio transformed, left the roof in different directions, and went back to their normal lives, at least for the night.

LFC LFC LFC

"That will be all, Nathalie," Gabriel Agreste said. Adrien's minder nodded and left the room, closing it behind her. Once she left, Gabriel touched the switch that would secure the doors. Then in a move that would shock any that knew him, he leaned back in his chair and put a hand over his face. This was getting harder. Ever since the girl who was Queen Bee was almost killed – no, this was no time for lying to himself. She _was_ killed, and it was only through the power of Ladybug's Miraculous cure that she was brought back to life. Ever since that time, controlling his akuma had been more difficult. Even staying transformed long enough to control the akuma through to the end of the fight was becoming difficult. Nooroo was fighting him. Nooroo was refusing to do anything to refill his energy reserves, forcing Gabriel to space out the akuma attacks. He had been able to create strong akuma, but the results left him more and more drained after.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. That fool Guardian should have just surrendered the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous. The Kwami would live, they were for all intents and purposes indestructible. Yes, the Miraculous would be destroyed, but those Miraculous were really too powerful for anyone to use responsibly in the long run. The children who currently bore them would be corrupted by the power in time. He knew it.

Gabriel knew that he wasn't quite sane. He had an all-consuming obsession. His monomania had turned to an uncontrollable drive that now mastered him, drove him on and on despite his repeated failure. Some said that insanity was trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Was empowering different personalities, different drives trying the same thing over and over? Or was each akuma a new and different approach? He wasn't sure anymore. All he knew was that he couldn't stop. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn't stop.

Should he find a holder for the Peacock Miraculous? He was more than reluctant to do so. The very concept disgusted him. He just didn't see many other options. Emilie went missing without the Miraculous in her possession. It did no good to anyone just sitting in a box, locked up. This was something he needed to consider. All that he really knew was that, if he didn't find a solution soon, he would fail in his goals. That was something he couldn't countenance. He would find a way to accomplish his purpose. Nothing else was acceptable. He would not, could not allow it. He would hold the Miraculous of creation and destruction in his hands, or he would die trying.

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 **Mari'sGirl:** Oh. My. God. I'm home

 **Bakery Klutz:** Yayyyyy! Hold on

Chloé got another message from a different sender, and opened it. Then she smiled.

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** I'm a dork too, i made a new account too

 **Mari'sGirl:** I will not complain about this

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** You better not. I gave everyone else this address while you were gone but i wanted to surprise you

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** I know we needed time apart but let us never do that again. I missed you tons

 **Mari'sGirl:** I'm the same

 **Mari'sGirl:** The demonic bitch is coming to paris in a few weeks. I'm not sure i'll be able to resist kicking her in the crotch. I want to make sure she never spawns again because i would never want any child to have that self-centered bitch as a parent

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** You said bitch twice. You're usually more creative in your swearing. Also she probably had herself fixed. Any more children would ruin her figure.

 **Mari'sGirl:** Most of the words i would use to describe her i refuse to actually say aloud, or even write. She's ten times worse than me at my worst. I abhor the woman, even more now than before. I used to at least respect her reputation and expertise. Now i know she's just a spiteful bully. And i agree. One disaster averted

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** I'm sorry, love. That must be really disillusioning

 **Mari'sGirl:** I'll live. I hugged my father for five minutes straight when i saw him. Then i asked him what he ever saw in her

 **Mari'sGirl:** He admitted that it was equal parts lust, shrewd calculation, lust, believing in the illusion she showed to the world at the time, and naïvite

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** Objectively, your mother is hot, but her personality poisons her looks

 **Mari'sGirl:** Father said i don't have to see her when she's here if i don't want to. And I don't

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** You can hide here if you want

 **Mari'sGirl:** I'm sleeping over tonight anyway. I mean, mari can i spend the night with you tonight?

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** Of course

 **Mari'sGirl:** Oh thank god i am leaving here in five minutes. Love you

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** Love you too now hurry up i need some girlfriend snuggles

 **Mari'sGirl:** Me too see you soonest

 **Chloé'sFavorite:** Be prepared for kisses

 **Mari'sGirl:** ALWAYS~

LFC LFC LFC

Ladybug bounced and rolled in a tangle of limbs, coming to a violent stop against a building wall as she slammed into it. She spat out a bit of blood, then scrambled back to her feet and ran back toward the melee. She couldn't remember when an akuma had been this tough. There had been more dangerous akuma, and the fight that had almost killed Queen Bee had been more traumatic, but this akuma was just unbelieveably tough.

He was a construction worker, and Bee had found out that he had only been trying to get some dinner in the shopping district on the way home, but several university students had apparently shoved him aside walking into the restaurant and said some really nasty things to him about his intelligence, his relative lack of money, and his rough, dirty features. Then they shoved him out of the way and he had dropped the box that he had been carrying. Bee had found a smashed cake in the box, but didn't know any other details. Ladybug had an idea. The cake was likely for someone important to him, and the students dismissive attitudes and insensitivity had already primed him for becoming an akuma when they smashed the cake to provide a trigger.

The man was also _massive_ , bigger than Ivan and broader in the shoulders. His heavy, boxy build had been enhanced by the akuma possession, giving him massive strength, and his anger was unfocused to a frightening degree. He was lashing out almost randomly; the only people so far that he had passed without attacking had been several waitresses, a policeman, and a pair of food vendors. Ladybug thought that he wasn't attacking people that had jobs similar to his, jobs that were physical and of relatively low social status compared to the kind of people that had harassed him.

She heard him shout "I'll give you the Miraculous as long as I can smash this whole damn city" – apparently, Papillion was trying to drive him to attack as per his normal modus operandi – and she motioned for the rest of Team Miraculous to fall back.

"He's the hardest fight we've had so far," Queen Bee said as she landed next to Marinette. "Everything we try just bounces off of him, we're barely even getting his attention."

"All akuma have a weakness," Chat Noir said. "It's inherent in their creation, it centers around the concept bound to their akuma form. With this one, he wrecks things instead of building them. So, something to do with that."

"Inherent? That's a big word, CN," Rena Rouge said.

"You suck, Rena," Chat said.

"Maybe someday if you're lucky," Rena replied.

"Gross," Bee interjected. "We need to stop the akuma, flirt later."

"Sorry," Rena immediately said.

Ladybug thought a moment longer, then looked at her team. "Rena, we need you to distract him. Start making illusions, lead him toward a big open area. Drive him hard. He can move fast when he wants to. Make him chase you."

"Got it, boss," she snapped, pulling out her flute as she ran to draw the akuma away from the crowded area the fight was currently occupying.

"Chat," the scarlet heroine said to her original partner, "This is going to be a long fight. You're going to need to Cataclysm more than once. Are you stocked up?"

"I'm ready," he nodded.

"Good," Ladybug said. "We're going to need to enclose him into an area. He doesn't seem to be able to jump, and he climbs really awkwardly from what I've seen. If we can contain him, we have time to find a way to stop him. Break things to make a barricade, we can fix them later when I do the cure."

"Got it," Chat said. "I'll start cutting off his avenues of escape as soon as Rena gets him to a more controllable location." He leapt off after the Fox Warrior, his staff propelling him high into the evening air.

"What's my job?" Bee asked.

Ladybug grimaced. "I need you to get in close and find out what the akuma item is. You're the quickest. Use your Air Dance, get in, and get out. I don't like asking that of you, but I don't think we really have a choice. We're not going to stop him physically, and we don't know enough about him to figure out how to appeal to the person inside. I need you, _We_ need you to find that key item."

Queen Bee nodded. "I can do it. I'll find it. And I'll be safe, okay?"

"Please," Ladybug replied. "Now let's get going."

"What are you going to be doing?" Bee asked.

"What I always do," she said, "keep the akuma occupied until I find a way to stop them."

The battle took two hours. Chat had needed to recharge five times, and Rena three. Bee had found the item during her sixth scouting run – a bracelet made out of finely knotted threads – but it had taken almost an hour just to get that far. Cutting the thing – the only way to break it – had been much tougher. Finally Ladybug had done it – with a scissors created by her Lucky Charm. The Miraculous cure washed over the city, putting to rights everything that had been smashed before. The akuma victim was sitting on a curb, looking at his hands. Or perhaps his wrist.

"Are you okay, sir?" Queen Bee asked him. She hadn't had to use her Air Dance in the last part of the battle, so she wasn't under any timer restrictions, unlike the other three. This wasn't the part of the hero business she was best at, but she tried hard.

"It's my daughter's birthday," he rumbled. It seemed to be a non sequitur but she knew it was probably important to the cause of the incident.

"How old is she?" Bee asked.

"She's seven," he replied.

"Do you have any pictures of her?" she asked. The large man fished out a wallet and withdrew an actual picture of a darling little girl with jet-black hair and stunningly blue-green eyes. "She's adorable!"

"She's my whole world," the man replied with a slight hitch in his voice. "I stopped to get her a cake – her great aunt used to take her to that shop – as a special treat. I can't afford to buy cakes there except on birthdays, or Christmas. And I bought a nice dinner, we don't eat out very often, either. And then those…those arrogant little shits knocked the cake out of my hands, and then they started insulting me, like it was my fault for being there." He looked up at her. "I know I'm not rich, or important, but my daughter thinks I'm the greatest dad in the world, and I didn't want her disappointed. I couldn't afford to replace that cake, and even if I could, it was a special order. I couldn't get another one, not tonight. They ruined my daughter's birthday, Mlle. Bee." He seemed near tears. "I was so furious, and then the voice was in my mind, and…"

"And then you woke up with vague memories of a fight, and that demanding voice still echoing in your mind," Queen Bee said softly.

"Yes," the big man replied.

"I understand, Monsieur…"

"Renaud," he said.

"M. Renaud," Bee said, "The Miraculous cure probably restored your cake, but I doubt if it will still be there by the time we could make it back to the site. I can't do anything to fix that. But," she said, "does your daughter like Team Miraculous?"

"She wants to be Ladybug," the man said with an almost chuckle, "but she also thinks that you have the best power." He grinned. "I also think flying would be pretty great, to be honest."

"Well," the blonde heroine said, "let us see if we can give her a birthday she'll never forget."

LFC LFC LFC

Chloé let herself into the Dupain-Cheng residence, climbing the stairs tiredly. She waved to Mari's parents as she passed through the living room, and they both sat up. "We hadn't heard that you're home from New York, how was the trip?" Sabine asked.

"Honestly," Chloé replied, "my mother is a horrid person, and I for one am glad that she wasn't around to screw me up any more than she already had. If she _had_ raised me, I'd likely be a little monster just like her." She walked over to the couch, and hugged first Sabine, then Tom. "Mama Sabine, thank you for teaching me what a real mother is like," she said softly. "I love you and Tom, I hope you know that." She looked at Tom. "I can't call you Papa Tom, because my papa is still my papa, but…"

"Tom is fine," he told her. He reached out and ruffled her hair – something that a year ago would have driven her into fits about the mussing of her hairdo – and she leaned into the fond gesture. "You're here pretty late, you should head up to see Marinette. We'll make sure to make a big breakfast, and if you want, you can work the counter and tell us about your trip and about New York."

"I'd like that," Chloé said with a soft smile. She hugged each of them again, then went up to Marinette's room. She popped her head up through the trapdoor to see her girlfriend sitting on the chaise with her sketchbook. Mari looked up and smiled at her, but there was an evil look in her eye. Chloé climbed up and closed the hatch, and shuffled over to the chaise as the blue-haired girl set her sketchbook aside. The blonde flopped down and wrapped her arms around Marinette. "This was such a long day," she muttered. "Flying to London, then the Eurostar here to Paris, then the akuma, and then…"

"Why did you fly into London?" Marinette asked.

"So I could get away from that awful woman two days earlier. It was the first open flight I could get," she replied.

"Wow."

"It was that bad," she confirmed.

"So what kept you so long?" the designer asked.

"The akuma, it was his daughter's birthday, and the college kids had ruined the expensive, custom order cake he had gotten her," Chloé said.

"How old is the daughter?"

"Seven, and absolutely adorable," the blonde replied. "There was no way for him to replace the cake, or the dinner he had gotten either, and we were much too far from where everything started, and he was looking kind of lost. So I had him wait for a few minutes while I hid and transformed, got some money out, then transformed back into Bee. Then I took him to restaurant to get dinner, and while he was doing that, I ran out and got a cake – nothing super special, but it was a very nice cake, three kinds of chocolate. Did you know that there are dozens of stores that won't let us pay for anything? I never knew." She giggled. "Too bad I can't shop for clothing as Queen Bee. But anyway, I met him at the restaurant and we took the meal and the cake to his home, and the daughter is even cuter in person. She had been a bit mad that he was so late, but when she saw me she forgave him." She giggled again. "We had some cake – backwards, I know, but I didn't really want to interrupt their dinner – and I took a few selfies with her on her mom's phone, and I was going to sign something for her, but she had a Team Miraculous shirt and when she asked if I could sign it for her, I told her I could get everyone to sign it for her if I could take it for a couple days." She let go of Marinette and sat up. "So I stopped by Adrien's, and lucky for me Alya was there. They were doing homework, which meant they were snuggling while reading in their books. They signed the shirt, and so I just need your autograph, and then my word is redeemed."

"Sounds like a busy day," her girlfriend said.

"So. Busy," Chloé confirmed. "I didn't even get to get Mari kisses yet. Stupid university kids, causing an akuma attack before I can even make it to your house."

"I'm worried, Chlo," Marinette said suddenly. "Papillion put a _lot_ of power into that akuma, and it was hard find the item. That's the kind of akuma that could beat us, if they had a little luck go their way."

The blonde leaned over and pulled the blunette into a hug. "I worry too. It took a lot out of all of us. Adrien and Alya were practically falling asleep on the couch. I'm about wiped. But we beat him today. We'll do it next time, too. If we don't think that, then we'll lose. We fight the next akuma, and we try to find Papillion. That's what we do, Mari."

"I know. It's my job to worry, though, if I'm the leader of this little band of crazy idiots," Marinette replied.

"Well," Chloé told her. "You have done your worrying for tonight. Now," she said, before leaning in for a kiss. Marinette's hands were in her hair as soon as their lips touched, and the designer fell back onto the chaise pulling Chloé with her. The kiss deepened, and Chloé squeaked when one of Marinette's hands squeezed her ass, but all Chloé wanted, all she needed right now was to kiss her girlfriend. She had missed her so much, but now she was back. Now, she was home.


	13. The Open Letter

_Dear Members of Madame Bustier's Class (and selected friends),_

 _Mlle. Chloé Bourgeois would like to invite you to a weekend of sun, sand, and surf on the beaches of Deauville in Normandy to celebrate the end of Quatrième. The group shall depart from Paris via train on Friday evening and return to Paris Sunday evening. The group will be staying in the Bourgeois family vacation home owned by Chloé's grandmother, and the Bourgeois family will be providing for all the refreshments for the weekend. The group will be chaperoned by Mme. Sabine Cheng (mother of Marinette Dupain-Cheng), M. Roger Raincomprix (father of Sabrina Raincomprix, and Lieutenant of Police), and Mme. Caline Bustier (who apparently has not suffered enough yet this year). Please confirm your attendance with Mlle. Bourgeois or Mlle. Dupain-Cheng by the preceding Wednesday._

 _We hope that everyone will be able to come and celebrate the end of Quatrième and the beginning of our last year at Collège Françoise Dupont._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Chloé Bourgeois_

 _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_

LFC LFC LFC

The wind whistled past Alix Kubdel's ears as the whipped around the curve, the cords to the wireless headphone yoke humming in the fast-moving air. Her friends would be shocked to know that she was listening to Japanese pop music; they would probably think it too girly to fit her image. And she would be the first to admit that she definitely projected the image of a rough and tumble badass to the world, but some of it was protective camouflage. She was small, and skinny, and not super smart. She had some street smarts, but she wasn't some kind of genius. Her attitude was a learned behavior, but after years, she found being an outspoken girl who would say anything was fun. People feared her reputation, which made her laugh. She was more likely to flay them with words than try to beat them up. Rose was, in her opinion, way scarier than she was. But then Rose could actually kick people's asses.

She dodged through stopped traffic, listening to the curses of the drivers as she flashed past. So this wasn't the safest thing in the world to do, but it was hella fun. Life was full of risk, so you might as well have some fun.

Her phone pinged, and she made her way to the sidewalk and slid to a stop. She pulled it open and saw that one of the forums had enough reports from users about inappropriate content that it warranted action. She opened the offending thread and immediately winced. Yesterday's akuma had been a bride who had been trying on wedding dresses when she overheard the attendant who had been working with her make hateful comments about her taste, her budget, and her build. The woman had been 192cm tall, and broad shouldered. Alix thought that she was actually quite pretty, with hugely long legs; she was just _big_. The attendant had called her freakish, and the bride had understandably furious, opening the way to akuma possession, and Brünnhilde had appeared in Valkyrie armor. _Unfortunately_ , she had been in the middle of changing when she overheard the insults, and had been in only her lingerie. When she had reverted, she had been for all intents and purposes exposed. Somehow, some ass had gotten pictures of the woman and had posted them to the forum. She deleted the posts and banned the user for two months. What a jackass. Alix set off again, jumping up and rail-sliding a handrail down a flight of steps and into a small park. She was back up the stairs at the other end of the park and danced between the pedestrians before arriving at her goal. She popped her skates off, pulled out a pair of flats that she would deny owning to anyone but the people she was meeting, and put them on. She walked into the café and waved back as Kim and Ondine motioned her to join them. "Hey, jackass. Hey, ginger demon," she joked.

"That's Lady Ginger Demon to you, midget," Ondine replied.

"You didn't protest jackass," Kim noted.

"That' because you kinda are one," Alix insisted.

Ondine gave a cautious nod. "Sometimes you are a bit. But you're my jackass," she added.

"So what's up?" Alix asked.

"My parents are pressuring me," Kim said. "They don't care for me dating someone that's not of Vietnamese stock."

"Well, that's shitty," Alix replied.

"And I'm apparently a scandal because I'm an older woman," Ondine added. "I'm taking advantage of their baby boy and corrupting him when I flaunt my body around him."

"You're a swimmer," Alix deadpanned.

"I am aware," the taller redhead replied. "Nevertheless, this is the issue we're facing."

"And what do you need me for?" the skater asked.

"You're Kim's best friend, and you know him the best. We were hoping you might have ideas on how to dissuade his parents," Ondine said.

"For one thing, Kim's _my_ best friend, but _Max_ is _Kim's_ best friend. For another, his parents don't like me either," Alix replied.

"No, but they are familiar with you. And they know that you won't abandon your friend. They think I'm some dilettante that will break his heart," the swimmer replied. "If you stand up for me, it may influence them."

"I think that's a horrible idea," Alix told her.

"Then…I need some lessons in attitude. I'm comfortable around my peers, but not so much around adults," Ondine said.

"I just want to make Ondine happy," Kim said. "I still can't believe that she likes me."

"That's because you're slow and you're emotionally stunted," Alix said to him.

"I blame the emotionally stunted part on my parents. They have this whole 'we don't show emotions' thing going on," he replied.

"I know," Alix said. "Doesn't mean it's not true."

"It's just not my fault," Kim replied.

"I know. Okay, you need some lessons in attitude and bitchiness. I can do this for you. But you owe me lunch every time I do a lesson with you," Alix told them. "Fair?"

"Fair," Ondine replied.

"We can start this weekend," the skater added.

"We have the class trip to the beach this weekend, Alix," Kim pointed out.

Alix gave Kim a humoring stare. "I am aware."

"Marinette and Chloé invited me along, Kim," Ondine put in. "I was going to surprise you at the station. Well, and I didn't want your parents to know I was going, and I figured it would be easier if you didn't have to lie to them because you didn't know."

Kim looked at his girlfriend for a moment. "Are you bringing one of your regular suits to the beach, or…?"

"You'll have to find out, Monsieur," the swimmer replied.

"So it's a plan," Alix said. "I'm going to go call Mari and Chloé so they know that I'm not actually being a bitch to you when I'm needling you, otherwise they'll get on my case."

"But you will be being a bitch," Kim pointed out.

"Bonus for me!" Alix said with a grin. "Now I'll leave you two lovebirds to your dinner, I can't stand all the sappy romance around here." She hopped up and started to walk from the table, but Kim caught her hand before she got to far.

"Alix? Thanks," he said.

"Don't mention it," she replied. "Seriously, don't tell anyone. I have a rep to maintain." With that, she left the restaurant, strapped on her skates, and went speeding through the streets once more.

LFC LFC LFC

"Are you sure that everything will be alright with you leaving Paris, Marinette?" Sabine Cheng asked her daughter.

"I'm sure, Maman," Marinette replied as she zipped up her bag. Everything was packed to leave tomorrow after the last day of classes. She turned to glare at Chloé. " _Someone_ failed to tell me until last week that she met Majestia, and talked her into covering the weekend for us."

"She and Sparrow are came in last night," Chloé said. "Knightowl apparently decided that her apprentice was ready for some solo work, and exploring a new city gives Sparrow some experience that she needs. And with Majestia in the area for backup, it gives her some on-the-job experience with a low threat value." She grinned at her girlfriend. "You're just jealous because I got to meet them first."

"I'm also mad that you took the risk to meet them at all," the blunette countered. "They can probably figure out who you are with enough detective work."

"Knightowl probably already _knows_ who we are," Chloé countered. "Knightowl knows _everything_. She's really scary."

"I will not disagree," Marinette replied.

"But in any case, Mama Sabine," the blonde continued, "we aren't leaving Paris open to attack. If Papillion does attack, Majestia and Sparrow can keep things contained until we can make it back. I bought a prepaid cell phone and gave them the number. If they truly need us, they have a way to call. They know that the akuma butterfly needs to be caught, and that it's better to leave the victim in akuma state than to let the butterfly go free. We can get back here in two to three hours."

Sabine nodded. "I just wanted to be sure that you girls were taking ensuring your responsibilities were being covered in your absence."

"If you weren't sure, why did you agree to chaperone, Maman?" Marinette asked.

Her mother smirked. "Because I wanted the opportunity to tease you, of course," she replied.

"My family's butler, Jean, will also be at the house this weekend," Chloé said, "but his responsibility is more for the feeding and watering of the group, not on keeping any of us from sneaking off into some corner somewhere for some necking."

"So it's my responsibility to keep any of you from sneaking off and 'necking'?" Sabine asked her.

"Who uses a word like 'necking' anyway, Chlo?" Marinette interjected.

"I do," the blonde told her, then she turned back to Mme. Cheng. "I expect that if any of us is serious about sneaking off, we could probably do it. I don't expect you to chase any of us down. I usually think of chaperones as being there to keep the honest people honest."

"And you have much experience with chaperones?" Sabine asked.

Chloé shrugged. "Of one kind or another. For better or for worse, I was Mlle. Rich Bitch for a long time, with everything that goes with that. During the summers I would go on trips with the children of my father's political and business associates, and I was usually one of the younger kids, so I didn't get up to the same sorts of trouble the older ones did. One of the older girls kind of took me under her wing; I think she was trying to keep me from turning out like my mother. She's some kind of cousin, I found out later, I think her mother is my father's cousin." She waved it away. "That doesn't matter. But she explained a lot of the rules for being Mlle. Rich Bitch. Which ones could be broken, which ones absolutely should not be. If you don't drink, you can get away with _a lot_. If you drink, you can get away with even more while you're drunk, but the punishment after will be much, much worse. I don't drink, except at meals, and even then I do it sparingly." She smiled. "I _don't_ need a chaperone, Mama Sabine, though the other kids do. _I_ just wanted to give you a beach vacation."

Sabine laughed. "Alright then, Chloé dear." A wicked grin crossed her face. "I think this whole beach trip is just an excuse for you to snuggle up and nap with Marinette with nothing but a bikini on."

Marinette blushed, and Chloé giggled. "I won't say that the thought didn't cross my mind, but really, if we wanted to snuggle up mostly naked we just would." Then she sobered. "We aren't like normal kids our age anymore. I would never abuse your trust, but if things were so awful, if I needed comfort that much that I had to be that close to Marinette, then I would be."

Mme. Cheng gave Chloé a good, long look, and then nodded. "I believe you, Chloé."

Marinette was flushed with embarrassment, and she glared at her girlfriend. "I…you…gah!"

The blonde walked over to her girlfriend and pulled her into a hug. "I'm just being honest, Mari. I'd rather be honest with her and keep her trust than sneak around or lie. Brutal honestly is kind of my thing, you know?"

Marinette sighed and shook her head. "I know, love. Just…hearing you say that to my mother!"

"I find it refreshing," Sabine said. "And I do at least have the consolation that if things do get out of hand, at least you can't get pregnant."

" _MAMAN!"_

LFC LFC LFC

 **RenaRouge:** OH MY GOD, BEE. I just ran into majestia. Freaking majestia. She said that you asked her to cover for us while we were in deauville i know you said you had it covered but oh my god

 **QueenBee:** So you are admitting my kung fu is best?

 **RenaRouge:** Your kung fu is best. Also, i gave majestia and sparrow the way to connect with out miraculous items so they might be joining in

 **SoloSparrow joined the chat**

 **SoloSparrow:** good evening team miraculous

 **SoloSparrow:** and can i say how happy i am to have some heroes my own age around you have no idea

 **LovelyLadybug:** Good evening sparrow, your french is excellent

 **SoloSparrow:** thank knightowl she knows absolutely freaking everything and expects me to know at least half of everything

 **RenaRouge:** Hey how come you can change your message id lb?

 **LovelyLadybug:** Because my kung fu is best

 **RenaRouge:** Is majestia going to log onto this? I am not sure that i can handle that without having a meltdown

 **RenaRouge:** She is only like my favorite hero ever

 **SoloSparrow:** she won't unless there is an emergency she understands the need for us kids to be kids sometimes or to be able to talk to heroes with the same concerns as us

 **SoloSparrow:** dont ever give knightowl the connection information though or well never have any peace

 **BestBee:** Noted. And i figured out the name thing. Woo!

 **RenaRouge:** Damnit

 **AlleyChat:** OH MY GOD I JUST RAN INTO MAJESTIA

 **AlleyChat:** Good god she flies fast

 **AlleyChat:** And hello, sparrow, how do you like paris?

 **SoloSparrow:** hospitable and very pretty

 **SoloSparrow:** new york is many things but new yorkers are the rudest people on the planet and this is someone who lives there saying it

 **SoloSparrow:** i cant tell you how many times ive heard the phrase

 **SoloSparrow:** hey its fucking sparrow how the fuck you doing are you old enough to be doing this fucking shit kid

 **SoloSparrow:** five times a night at least

 **RenaRouge:** Move to paris. People love us here and are super nice

 **BestBee:** This is so true. And we can always use more help. When you go solo, or need a break just come here. You'd have to tell us who you are tho, if you wanted to actually be on the team. We all know who each other are, it helps us cover for each other when necessary and gives us someone who will understand the pressure from both sides of our lives

 **SoloSparrow:** knightowl would kill me it might lead people back to her identity she would absolutely kill me

 **AlleyChat:** Bummer. You can still come hang out though. We can always use more friends

 **SoloSparrow:** thanks i will get back to doing this patrol, i need to know the city better if i expect to cover for you

 **LovelyLadybug:** Thanks for meeting with the police and letting them know that you will be here, they know us, but they might assume you are an akuma if they don't recognize you

 **SoloSparrow:** no i get it your villain is weird

 **RavishingRena:** I figured it out!

 **AlleyChat:** Oh for fucks sake rena

 **LovelyLadybug:** Lol

 **BestBee:** Lol

 **SoloSparrow:** i assume inside joke

 **BestBee:** Rena and chat are dating

 **BestBee:** So are ladybug and i

 **BestBee:** In case you come across us and you see us kissing. We don't do it in public view but you can go places the public can't

 **SoloSparrow:** that is awesome we always patrol new york pride because there are always the homophobic assholes i think love is just love you know

 **LovelyLadybug:** Sparrow your kung fu is best. Team miraculous, back to work

 **BestBee:** Yes yes fine i am going

 **RavishingRena:** So mean

 **AlleyChat:** You all complain too much

 **SoloSparrow:** nice talking to you hope you have a nice few days off

 **LovelyLadybug:** Thank you again, sparrow

 **SoloSparrow:** de nada

Ladybug flipped her yoyo closed and smiled. Her city was in good hands. She would have to thank Bee again later. For now, she had a patrol to do.

LFC LFC LFC

The members of Mme. Bustier's class, even Lila, plus Aurore Beauréal, Ondine Marceau, Marc Anciel, and assorted chaperones sat around the large dining table in the main dining room of Chloé's grandmother's vacation home, which was a large villa suitable for entertaining between fifty and a hundred people for an evening. "Thank you all for coming," Chloé told the group, "it's the first time in a while that the whole class has been able to get to an event together."

"Vacation home my ass," Alix said, which several people were thinking, but none were willing to say aloud.

"No one lives here full time, except the staff," Chloé explained. "And they only live here from March through November, we close the house in the winter."

"My opinion stands," Alix replied. Most of the class chuckled with this.

Caline Bustier sighed. "I am having a hard time not correcting Alix for her language," she admitted.

"Just wait until she gets comfortable," Nathanael said.

"Fuck you, art boy," Alix replied. Heads were shaken, Nathanael palmed his face, and Caline shook her head in dismay.

"Midget, can you pretend to have some sense of decorum?" Ondine asked.

"Nope."

"Alix," Rose said sweetly, "I would look at it as a favor if you acted with a little more decorum."

Alix turned to her and glared. "That is no fair, Rose."

"I'm asking you as the head of, in your own words, the ginger mafia," Sabrina told her.

"Fiiiiiiiiiiine," Alix droned. "You all suck."

"Your class is much more fun than mine," Marc said. "Can I transfer?"

"You can take Lila's place," Alya said.

Lila growled. "How many times do I need to apologize?" she asked.

"Only until you mean it," Mylène said. The whole group stared at her. "What?"

Ivan patted her hand. "I think they are shocked that you spoke up," he said.

"She's improving," Rose said. "I'll have her and Juleka putting their opinions in all the time, soon!"

"I just don't care to comment," Juleka said. She had her hair pulled up, with the freshly dyed concealed rainbow shown with pride. Marc had given her thumbs up when he had seen it, before diving back into collaborating with Nathanael on the comic they were writing.

"I agree with Marc, though," Aurore put in before the fight could resume. "Your class is fun. Energetic, but fun."

Lila sighed. "This is hard," she said.

"If it's worth something, then it's not easy," Marinette told her.

Lila shrugged. "I'm trying, really. I just…don't know how."

"I could give you the name of my therapist," Chloé said. Everyone in the room stopped talking.

"You have a therapist, Chloé?" Max asked.

The blonde nodded. "I have since right after the Anti-bug incident. After the nightmares started."

"That explains _so_ much," Nino said from his place next to Aurore.

Chloé shrugged. "I didn't like the person I saw when I became Anti-bug. She was too much like me. I knew I needed to change, but I didn't know how. After several sessions, the doctor recommended some medications, and they have helped a lot."

"Wow," Rose said, "I am so proud of you for talking about it, Chloé!"

The blonde ducked her head slightly. "It gets easier. For a long time I was ashamed about it, I felt like I was weak. But even that went away when I finally got to the right dosage on the right med. I got lucky, and we found the right one first time. Some people, it can take a year." She looked up and smiled at Marinette. "She and I talked about a lot of my problems, and I realized how much of my life revolved around Marinette, and when we talked about it more and more, the more I realized that I actually had a massive crush on her. Eventually I was able to tell her, and, well, you all saw the rest."

Marinette reached over and took Chloé's hand. "I'm so glad you did, Chlo."

"Ugh, you're not going to get all lovey, are you? All of you turn to marshmallows inside as soon as you start talking," Alix complained.

"You have no romance in your soul, Alix," Alya told the girl.

"Guilty," the skater said.

"Chloé?" Lila said suddenly. "Could I please get that name?" Before she could say anything more, she found herself wrapped in a strong hug from Marinette. She couldn't believe how strong the girl was, how could such a slender girl be so strong?

"I'm proud of you, Lila," the blunette said softly.

"Thanks, Marinette," Lila said. And for the first time in a long time, she meant it.


	14. The Date Letter

_Dearest Marinette,_

 _Meet me on the beach at the Allée Louis Pauwells at 10pm. Bring your swimsuit~_

 _Always~_

 _Chloé_

Marinette read over the letter she had found on her pillow when she came out of the shower. She shook her head at her girlfriend, she was sure this was going to be something stupid and romantic and she would love it despite Chloé's obvious penchant for melodrama. She folded the letter and tucked it into the pocket of her zip-up hoodie. Even though it was early summer, they had learned the first night that the wind can make the coast quite cold, and she was prepared for it.

She grabbed her backpack and walked out of the room she and Chloé shared and looked down the hall. The rest of the group had broken down with the boys sharing two rooms and the girls sharing two rooms, and Caline and Sabine in a room, and Roger in his own. If there was some shifting during the night so that couples could cuddle as they slept, everyone pretended not to notice. Especially since, if anything more than cuddling was going on, the whole room would quickly know. Currently, pillows and blankets and bags were being shuffled once again, which made her chuckle since she knew the whole group was going to spend half the night in the huge lounge watching movies until the early morning. She stretched and checked the time on her mobile. She had twenty minutes, and it would take her ten to get there. She passed the room her mother was in, but didn't see her, so she left a note and walked out the door of the villa. She jogged down the street, and after a few wrong turns, found herself on the road parallel to the beach. A few minutes more and she was walking down the alley. The sky was mostly dark now, but there was just enough light for her to see the golden hair and bronzed skin of her Chloé.

She was more than just a little jealous. Chloé stepped out into the sun and in a day had already picked up some nice color. Marinette had had to use heavy duty sun block; her skin came in two colors: pale, and sunburn red. She grinned at the sight of Chloé, wearing sandals and shorts and a crop-top with her bikini top under it. Her hair was held back by the combs she always wore now, but Tikki and Pollen were back at the villa. The Kwami had all spent most of the day napping in the sun on the roof of the villa, and now they were enjoying what was possibly the longest time they had spent together in a non-crisis situation in decades. Marinette was pretty sure they were playing some kind of card game, but what kind she had no idea. She hadn't known that Kwami played cards. The things you learn. She half-skipped down the alley and stumbled to a stop in front of Chloé. The blonde rolled her eyes at the antics but grinned brightly back at Marinette.

"Come on, slowpoke," Chloé said, taking Marinette's hand and pulling her down to the beach. She kept the hand in hers as they began walking northeast up the shoreline. They quickly came to the big seawall that divided this beach from the next area up the coast; there was only a relatively narrow strand until one passed the end of the seawall. It was peaceful here, with just the sound of the wind and the waves. The stars were coming out, and the sky looked glorious. One of the few bad things about living in Paris was that the City of Lights veiled most of the stars from view. Marinette could just stand here and stare at the sky for hours. She saw a shooting star, and made a silly little wish on it, and giggled. "What's got you giggling, Mari?" the blonde asked.

"I made a wish on a shooting star, but it was a silly little wish, nothing serious," the blue-haired girl replied.

Chloé stopped and turned, catching Marinette by surprise, and leaned in and kissed her sweetly. Then she leaned back and went back to walking, pulling her bemused girlfriend along. "It wasn't a silly wish," she heard Chloé say.

"How did you know what I wished for?"

Chloé looked over at her and grinned. "Because it's the silly kind of wish I would make, too," she replied, and Marinette moved in closer, wrapping her hand around her girlfriend's arm and leaning into her. "Hey, you're too big and strong to be leaning on me!" she said.

"Oh, hush," Marinette replied. ""I am not that much bigger than you, and you're putting on muscle, too."

"You've been doing this longer, you are just solid all over, love," Chloé admonished. "Not that I mind. I didn't think I would have a thing for all that firm muscle, but good god, Mari. You are the sexiest thing on two legs anywhere in France, and maybe in the world."

Mari snorted. "Not quite," she said with a chuckle. "I'm still clumsy, and…" She was interrupted by a finger on her lips.

"Shush. You have no idea how sexy you are. You have the longest legs, and when you flex they just go rock solid, and with your pale skin they look like they were carved from alabaster," the blonde said in all seriousness. "When I was working through my problems, I knew I had a crush on you, but I wasn't sure if it was romantic or platonic. Your legs – actually Ladybug's legs and ass, at first, but since it's the same thing, the distinction doesn't really hold – were the first thing that made me question my sexuality. Because your legs are amazing, and your ass is perfect, and yes I know I'm starting to babble but seriously I don't like you talking bad about yourself, because you are absolutely breathtaking, you're so pretty that it hurts when I'm away from you."

Marinette grinned a wild, happy grin. "Thank you, Chloé, I don't think anyone has ever complimented me quite in that way before."

"Don't be mean, Mari," Chloé pouted.

"I'm just teasing you, Chlo, you know I love you," came the reply.

Chloé leaned back into Marinette and they walked quietly for some time. They passed the turn of the seawall and continued down the beach, jumping the walls of stone that extended down into the water. Marinette was sure that they were supposed to be some kind of divider, but she was enjoying walking with her girlfriend too much to be bothered by it. They kept walking until they saw some big rocks that had formed a bit of an alcove, and Chloé tugged her in that direction. Raising an eyebrow, Marinette followed. Tucking into the shelter of the rocks was a picnic blanket, a small oil lamp that glowed golden after Chloé lit it, a bottle of wine, and a small chocolate cake. They sat down on the blanket, and Chloé quickly served out the cake – it had already been cut beforehand. The wine was a sweet dessert wine, made with cherries, which complimented the rich chocolate of the cake. They drank from little plastic champagne flutes and giggled at the thought of the image they must make. The cake was quickly finished off, and they rearranged the blanket so it was draped against the rocks, and Chloé leaned back against it and then pulled Marinette down in front of her, wrapping her in a firm hug. She doused the oil lamp and they sat in quiet while their eyes adjusted to the dark once again.

"This was really sweet, Chloé," Marinette said as the stars continued to reveal themselves to her as her eyes adjusted. "I continue to be amazed by you, you keep surprising me with hidden romantic depths."

"I just want you to know that I love you," Chloé replied, giggling. She took a sip of the wine from the bottle, the glasses having been dispensed with along with the cake container. "It isn't some silly thing. I. Love. You. I love your family, I love having a place where I can go and no one asks any questions, no one demands anything of me. You gave me a home, Marinette. But that's only the smallest part of it. You know what I mean. We aren't fourteen – or almost fifteen – in spirit. Everything we've been through has aged us, matured us. I don't think I'm ready to be an adult, but I think I'm old enough to know my heart. When you almost died, I thought I might die too. And when I thought you hated me, it almost broke me, because you've become so very important to me." She took another sip of wine, and then released the bottle when Marinette pulled it away from her so as to take a sip herself. "I'm looking at the future and wondering how I can make it through four years before we graduate so that I can live with you all the time."

"You want to live with me?" Marinette asked with a small burp. She giggled, and Chloé did too.

"Yes I want to live with you, I would have thought me spending every night that I can at your house would have made that abundantly clear," the blonde said a bit defensively.

"It's okay, Chloé, I was just a bit surprised, that's all. I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. I've been focused so long on tracking down Papillion and ending his threat that I really lost sight of any long-term goals, other than just being the best designer I can," the blunette replied.

"I think you've managed that," Chloé said with a giggle. "Designer for Jagged Stone. Winner of a contest sponsored by Gabriel Agreste. And I know that Clara Nightingale was asking you about designing something for her to wear for her next album cover." She felt her girlfriend squirm, and she grinned, taking the bottle back for another sip. "Plus you have your own budding fashion line – with a very stunning model, I must say – and absolutely everyone knows that you will be someone some day. And I will be so happy, that the whole world knows that my girlfriend is _amazing_."

"Chloé…" Marinette began mulishly.

"No, Mari, you are special, so shush." She pressed a finger to Marinette's lips to quiet her. Marinette nipped at it, then sucked on it lightly when Chloé didn't pull away. "Behave, Mari," she said with a blush.

"You have chocolate on your fingertips, Chlo," Marinette said with a giggle. "Where was your mind going, you little perv?"

"Terrible, horrible places, my Mari," she replied. She gave Marinette a push, and her girlfriend stood up. Chloé relit the oil lamp, and then began to strip. "The light will help us find our things. Come on, let's go swimming."

"In the dark?"

"Why not?" Chloé started throwing clothes at Marinette, and she was stunned when the blonde stripped down to skin.

"Why did you tell be to bring my suit?" Marinette asked.

"So you wouldn't ask too many questions, silly, now come on. We don't get many chances to be alone like this."

Marinette could certainly agree with that. Despite her reservations, she stripped down and walked to join Chloé. The blonde took her hand and led her down to the water. It was chilly, but it felt nice. She felt the sand shifting underneath her feet as the waves moved the water past them, and she decided to just run with it. She began to push farther out into the water, dragging Chloé along with her. When they were neck deep, they just stood there, bobbing with the waves. She turned back to the beach and could see their light shining, and she enjoyed the symbolism that her tipsy brain was making. Ladybug was like that oil lamp, the light could be seen so much farther that what she could see with it herself.

Chloé wrapped her in a hug, and she relished in the feel of the blonde's bare skin against hers. It wasn't sexual, it was just pure sensuality, hedonistic enjoyment of that level of closeness. Then Chloé nibbled at her neck, and she shivered.

"Now who needs to behave?" she purred. She heard Chloé give a little sound that sounded like 'eep!'

"I'm sorry," Chloé murmured to her. "Sometimes it's really hard to be good. I know we don't want to rush things, and I am happy with whatever you are happy with. That doesn't mean that I don't want things from time to time."

Marinette spun in the blonde's arms, and gave her a deep, possessive kiss. She felt Chloé melt against her, and enjoyed the feel of her girlfriend's body against hers. "I won't say that I'm not tempted from time to time as well." She nuzzled Chloé's neck, and nipped at her collarbone. "My birthday is after yours," she said. "If you want…"

"I don't want anything on a schedule, Marinette," Chloé replied with a quiet passion. "Things will happen when they will. When they are right. Whether we are fourteen or eighteen or twenty. When it's right for both of us, that's when it will happen."

"You say things like that and expect me not to drag you off into bed right then?" Marinette groaned.

"If you feel that way tomorrow, sure. We've both been drinking, we're both lightweights, and I wanted us to have fun, not cross some line we aren't ready to cross," the blonde replied.

"Not. Helping," Marinette ground out. Chloé squealed as her girlfriend turned her and then picked her up, bridal fashion, and walked toward the shore.

"Let me down, you…you…" she was cut off as Marinette kissed her again, and she leaned into the kiss, almost toppling them both. She swooned. "This has to be one of the most romantic and sensual things I have ever experienced, you are killing me Mari," she murmered.

"Good, you've been doing it to me all night," she whispered back. She carried her all the way back to where their things awaited them. Chloé put on her bikini top, her shorts, and her sandals, and then took the hoodie Marinette handed her out of the backpack she had brought. Marinette pulled on her bikini top, her hoodie, and her short-shorts, and she heard Chloé groan.

"Those shorts should be illegal on you," Chloé whined. "I have never been so turned on in my whole life." She heard Marinette stumble.

"You are an evil, evil woman, Chloé Bourgeois," her girlfriend replied. "I can't even tell you how turned on I am." She pulled the blonde into a hug. "When we get back to the villa, I need a shower to get the salt off of my skin. I would not object if you joined me."

"If the mental image doesn't kill me by the time we get back there, I just might." The pair stepped back, gathered the rest of their things, then took each other's hand and began the walk up the beach. Then Chloé stopped. "Damn," she said, "I forgot to do something."

"Hmmm? What's that?" Marinette asked her.

"Hold out your left hand," the blonde replied, and Marinette did so without hesitation. She felt a cool circle of metal slide over her finger, followed by a finger on her lips to silence any protest. "It's not an engagement ring, it's not a even a promise ring, it's just one of a pair, one that matches the one I'll wear, it's a symbol for us. That we're together, and proud of that fact. Because I want to shout it to the world that I love you."

Marinette couldn't say anything through the tears, and she pulled Chloé into a deep, passionate kiss. "God, and I thought I was turned on _before_. Thank you Chloé, thank you so much." She reached out and took the one Chloé was holding, and slid it on her finger. She kissed the girl again. "Now let's get back to the villa before you do something else romantic and force me to molest you right here in the open. You are _evil_."

"I know," Chloé replied, and Marinette could _hear_ the smirk. "Aren't you happy that I'm on your side now?"

"Every day, Chloé, every day."

"Mmm. Marinette?"

"Yes?"

"Can you kiss me, like _that_?"

"Always."

LFC LFC LFC

Sabine Cheng knocked on the door to the room Marinette and Chloé were sharing. She had heard them come in, very late, giggling and trying not to be loud. Luckily, most of the group was still in the lounge watching a movie, and so their failure at being stealthy had done them no harm. On the other hand, it _had_ alerted her to their return, and she knew what state she was likely to find them in. When she got no answer, she opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her.

The scene she saw was very much like the one she had come across in Chloé's suite the morning after that awful night, but much more sensual. She could see the two girls entangled with each other, bare shoulders showing. The sheet were just barely preserving Chloé's modesty up top, and were twisted in such a way that almost all of Marinette's legs were revealed. As she neared, she could clearly see a love bite on Chloé's neck, and while she could see both of the blonde's hands, she was fairly certain that her daughter's were resting in somewhat inappropriate locations.

"Girls, you should get up," she said, using what Marinette termed her 'mom-voice'. Marinette started, and tried to sit up, but she was completely tangled with Chloé and only managed an awkward flop.

"Maman?" Marinette muttered.

"Mama Sabine?" Chloé groaned.

"You two better not be hung over," Sabine told them.

"No, we drank plenty of water," Chloé muttered, "we just didn't get much sleep."

"I can tell. You have a hickey on your neck, Chloé," Sabine replied.

"Oh god," Marinette whined, "Alya will never let that go. We're doomed."

"If we're doomed," Chloé said, still laying unmoving, "then let's be doomed for things we actually did."

"Girls, I'm still here," Sabine said. She heard her daughter squeal, but the blonde seemed unmoved.

"I know," Chloé muttered, "but we're already caught, so if we're going to do the time, might as well actually do the crime. We were too tipsy last night to make good judgments, so we kept it to kissing above the waist."

" _CHLOÉ!_ " Marinette exclaimed.

"We'll tell her sooner or later, might as well get it done with," her girlfriend told her.

"Very pragmatic," Sabine observed. "You seem to be mostly responsible, so I'll withhold any punishment for now. Continue to prove yourselves worthy of that trust."

"Yes, Maman."

"Yes, Mama Sabine."

"Good. Now get up, get cleaned up, and come to breakfast." With that, she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.


	15. The Friendly Letter

"Miraculous… _Ladybug_!"

No matter how many times Queen Bee heard that phrase, in either identity, it never failed to give her a thrill. The feel of the magic of the Miraculous cure washing over her as it restored everything damaged by the battle back to new. She sometimes wondered just how the magic knew what to fix, but that didn't stop her from marveling at the effects. Bee sometimes thought that Paris was cleaner now than it had been in the days before Ladybug, as if the magic released in the cure scoured the dirt and grime from the city streets and walls. Her thoughts were interrupted by the chiming coming from her haircomb, and she sighed. Because her power was more situational than the others', she had become Team Miraculous' semi-official spokesperson, because she didn't have to use her Miraculous power very often. This time, Chat Noir was going to be doing the talking, which was already threatening to give Bee a headache. She loved Chat, she did, but he couldn't stop punning, and he would say the most preposterous things, just for the hell of it. On the other hand, he said _so much_ outrageous shit that no one knew which was truth, and which was just bullshit, and which was a mix between the two. So the fact that Queen Bee and Ladybug might be an item was out there, but because _Chat_ had said it, no one knew for sure. The response was fairly positive; not that Bee cared, but it felt easier to protect the city knowing it wasn't full of degenerate homophobes. She would still do it, she was a heroine after all, but she would have grumbled a lot more, and been a lot less cordial to the media – any media beyond the Ladyblog, anyway.

She gave a last wave to the people now emerging from where they had hidden, and then jumped for the rooftops. She made it fifteen blocks before she had to drop into an alley to transform back into Chloé. She shook herself and cracked her back – there was something about using her flight power that tightened up all the vertebrae in her back between her neck and the bottom of her ribs, and she _always_ needed to crack her back after using it. She checked her phone – no messages – and then, making sure no one was watching, departed the alley. She walked toward the nearest bus station, she wasn't far from home, but she was tired and a bit sore, and riding the bus gave her time to think. It also amused her to ride the bus, because the very thought of her doing so would send her mother into apoplectic fits. It was much too plebian for Audrey Bourgeois, after all. She hopped onto the bus when it arrived, and sat down. It was about a ten minute ride, so she just sat back and stared out the window.

This was the third akuma since they had returned from their beach trip, and each one had been…odd. Papillion had been choosing people who were less under control, but were much more clever. It hadn't worked for him, yet, but the trend was worrying. None of the last three had any connections to any of Team Miraculous, which was extremely heartening. Continued coincidences really bothered Marinette, which in turn bothered Chloé. She hated seeing her girlfriend upset, but she didn't mind cheering her up.

Chloé smirked. While they hadn't repeated their escapades from the beach trip, they occasionally slept in the nude when they shared a bed in her suite, and wore only panties and camisoles at Marinette's house – and that mostly because Mama Sabine had no compunctions against dragging the covers off the bed to get them to get up. If that didn't work, the next step was to drop cold, wet washcloths on their faces. She had only had to do that _once_. When Mama Sabine wanted her and Marinette to get up, they got up. There had been a _lot_ more kissing, and the occasional love bite was still left, but they had been very good. Which was driving Chloé _absolutely insane_. She had rarely masturbated before dating Marinette – she wasn't sure if that was because she hadn't found the right person to be thinking about, or if it was related to her bipolar disorder, or if it was just more of the bullshit that her mother had ground into her brain from a young age – but once she had admitted to herself that she was attracted to Marinette, the girl had been in more than a few of her fantasies. And she had been in some _very_ erotic dreams. But even then, she hadn't felt the need more than once a week or so. Now it was every other night, and she had to find time when she wasn't with Mari to do it. Not that her girlfriend didn't know that she did it, but she felt weird doing it in the shower while Marinette was right outside the door. And if she did it while Marinette was in the _room_ …nothing good would come of that. They were _trying_ to be good and let that kind of thing come when it felt natural, and doing something like that in front of her would be pushing things.

So she went slowly insane trying to keep her hands off of Marinette until they both were ready to enter into a more physical relationship. Which if she was honest with herself, she wasn't _completely_ ready for herself. Making out was fun, but touching Marinette in that way, or doing some of the other things she had read about on the internet – she still felt _extremely_ awkward about it all. She had recorded her voice once when she masturbated, just to hear what she sounded like, and played it back afterwards…and immediately erased the recording, because she had never felt so embarrassed in her whole life. The fact that she was moaning Marinette's name the whole time…yeah, that was totally embarrassing. She thought she had more self control than that.

Trying to change her train of thought, she looked at the digital marquee across the street and saw that it was announcing yet again that France had beaten Belgium in the semi-finals of the World Cup last night, and she started to grin, then frowned. The akuma today had been a Belgian from Brussels, and the loss of his national team had been what had set him off. She had been over at Sabrina's house, staying the night – M. Raincomprix had asked her to spend the evening with Sabrina since he would have to be working; there were lots of drunken revelers after a win of such magnitude, and depressed drunks after a loss, an either way the police were sure to be called upon to restore order when things got out of hand.

Chloé had enjoyed herself immensely. It had been just her, Sabrina, Rose, and Alix. Juleka eschewed organized sports at that level, she thought the whole thing hopelessly commercial and corrupt. Which it was, but that didn't make the games any less exciting. Rose watched avidly, almost silent, taking everything in. Sabrina kept a running commentary going about various statistics, and she was a much better color commentator than the one on TV. Alix, as Chloé had expected, was very vocal, yelling at the TV most of the time, celebrating the goal, bemoaning the yellow cards, and had practically lost her mind when France won. Chloé had kept small conversations going with all three, but mostly just enjoyed watching. She had been sad that Marinette wasn't there, but her girlfriend was getting up early the next morning to help her father in the bakery. Tom was going to be moving slowly in the morning after staying up to what was to him an ungodly hour, and Chloé couldn't begrudge him Marinette's presence. The World Cup was only every four years, and France making the Finals was a huge deal. She hadn't been alive the last time France had won, and had been three years old the last time they were in the Final. She wasn't the biggest football fan, but she was full of French pride, and so she had enjoyed every minute of the game.

And then the next morning, a disgruntled fan, still in Belgian colors, had had a run in with some – probably still drunk – French fans, and presto, one akuma.

Chloé realized that the bus was approaching her stop, so she finished with her ruminating and pulled the signal cord, and stood up as the bus slowed to a stop. She hopped out, and pulled her phone out, opening up the homepage of the Ladyblog to see if Aurore had gotten an interview with Chat Noir – like the ham would turn down any chance to preen before an audience – and to see how cringe-worthy this one would be. She was just entering the hotel doors when she was tackled from the side, and felt a kiss land on her cheek, and she could smell sugar and bread dough and… _Marinette_. She turned to see her girlfriend's smiling face, and smiled back. "Hello, girlfriend, fancy seeing you here. How has your day been so far?"

"Oh, busy, I was running around town all morning, but I have a few free hours, and wanted to come see you," Marinette said with a grin. She leaned in and kisses Chloé gently, then stepped back and took her by the arm. Let's go see what Chef Césaire is making for lunch and see if we can steal…I mean, _sample_ some."

"I like that idea," Chloé replied. "Lead the way, my dear!"

LFC LFC LFC

Alix felt like a fifth wheel. Or was that a thirteenth wheel? She was with most of her classmates, getting ready to watch the celebratory fireworks for the World Cup victory, and she was the only one who was alone. Marinette and Chloé, Adrien and Alya, Rose and Juleka (who, while decrying the World Cup itself, was always one for fiery lights in the sky), Nathanael and Marc, Nino and Aurore, and Kim and Ondine, were all here. Ivan and Mylène, along with Max, Sabrina, and – surprisingly – Lila were watching from the roof of Mylène's family apartment, which had an amazing view of the expected fireworks. The shy girl had been almost in tears that she hadn't been able to have everyone come over to watch, but there wasn't enough room for any more people. She was assured that there were no hard feelings, and the group had been treating it as a group date night. With Alix as a tag-along. Ugh.

"What's got you down, Midget?" she heard Ondine ask.

"Was that two short jokes for the price of one, fishface?" she replied.

"What? No! Sorry, was just going for the Midget comment," she said with a grin. "But seriously, what's up?"

"I just feel awkward being here alone, is all," she admitted. "It's like I'm intruding on date night, or something."

"You could have gone to Mylène's, I'm sure they could have made room for you," the swimmer pointed out.

"Eeeeeeeehh…Lila was going to be there, and she still hasn't completely forgiven me for some of the things I said in a fight we had about a week before school let out," Alix admitted.

"Is this the screaming match that I've been hearing about from, well, everyone?" Ondine asked.

"That would be the one," the skater confirmed.

"Yeeeeaaaaaah, you might be waiting a while on that. Ye gods, Alix, when you get angry, you get vicious. And you're bad enough under normal circumstances," the taller girl added with a grin.

"Fuck you, you giant ginger mermaid bitch," Alix said with an appropriate hand gesture.

"You make my case for me," Ondine told her.

"Yeah yeah, shut up. I'm going to go bother someone who actually likes me."

Ondine snickered. "Good luck with that."

"I'd tell you to go get a social disease, but then you might give it to Kim, and despite him being an idiot, I kinda like the guy," Alix replied snarkily.

"You're so kind," the swimmer deadpanned, but she waved as Alix glided off. The skater slid through the crowd to catch up with Nathan and Marc. She hadn't had much time to talk to the pair since school got out, the two being occupied with the new comic they were working on, as well as trying to figure out the whole dating thing. Both were so painfully awkward it was funny.

"Hey Nate, Marc, how's things?" she asked.

Nathanael eyed Alix warily. "Nathan, please, if you must," he told her.

"I must," Alix agreed.

"Then fine. I'm doing okay, actually," Nathanael told her. "Marc?"

"I'm doing pretty good," they said. Marc had asserted toward the end of the beach weekend that they were feeling increasingly non-binary, and would prefer to be addressed as they and them, please and thank you. Alix was still getting used to it, but she only screwed up now when she was talking really fast, and Marc was good enough not to hold it against her. She was trying, their extended family…not so much. Alix was proud that they had been willing to stand up and ask to be addressed in a way they felt comfortable with, and was trying to be as supportive as she could. While not completely ruining her image, of course. "It's really fun being out with the group like this, I haven't gotten much of a chance, but I enjoy it every time. You all are very lively!"

"Too lively, sometimes," Nathanael observed. "So what's up, skater girl?"

"I'm feeling very single at the moment, and Ondine was being Ondine, as usual. I think she gets off on giving me shit, seriously," Alix told the pair.

"You know," Marc observed, "I know you've repeatedly said that you don't have a thing for her. Or for Kim. But maybe they have a thing for you?"

Alix almost wiped out, and had to do some quick footwork to get back on balance. "Are you serious?" she cried after she recovered. "Or are you just throwing out wild-ass guesses?"

"Mostly a wild ass guess," Marc replied. "But there is something more there than just the antagonism you claim. I don't even like cis girls, and I can see it."

"Ugh, please say het, not cis, that drives me nuts," Alix told them.

"Het is orientation, cis is gender," Marc countered.

"Yeah, yeah. My brain is far too binary to hold this conversation while trying to avoid running into people. How about the three of us hang out and get coffee some morning and you can try and explain it to me in a way that I can make sense of. I can get the whole pronoun thing, but most of the rest of it is beyond me," Alix confessed.

"I'd be up for that," Marc told her. Nathanael agreed, and Alix grinned at them.

"I'm trying not to offend you, you know," Alix told Marc, "I don't care about labels…but I also don't _understand_ them. So any help would be appreciated. God knows my father and brother are completely useless with anything that involves social niceties. If it hasn't been dead thousands of years, they don't care about it."

"I can see how that can be difficult," they said. "And I'm not offended, because I know you're trying. I still say things like 'me and the other boys' out of habit, and then I wince. So it isn't just you. You won't be perfect right away. Just…don't tease me with it," they warned.

"Marc," Alix said, "you've done nothing to me to deserve any of my usual level of snark. You're a cool…cat. I almost said dude. Damn it."

"Dude is kinda universal, I'll give that one a pass. I'm pretty sure I've heard Kim calling _you_ dude," Marc replied.

"Well duh, it's Kim," she said, explaining everything.

He and Nathanael both chuckled, and Alix grinned. "I'm going to go say hi to pretty boy and the Amazon girl," she told them, and stared skating off. Then she spun and skated backwards. "Also, Nate? Fuck you, I'll call you Nate if I want!" She grinned to show she was kidding, then spun back around and glided forward, wending her way to Adrien and Alya. Alya looked slightly harried

"What's up, giant woman?" she asked the Martinique native.

"Ugh, Nora was being an absolute bitch when we were trying to leave. She seems to think something will happen to me just by walking around Paris," Alya replied.

"Who's Nora?"

"Her older sister," Adrien replied for her. "I'm just glad she didn't tell Nora this was a date, or she really would have lost her mind."

"Ah," the skater said. "So how did _you_ slip your leash, M. Model?"

Adrien grimaced. "I didn't. Notice the new clothes? Notice Alya in a much dressier outfit than she normally wears? The price of freedom for the night is doing a photoshoot with the fireworks behind us right when they start. Once they get going and there is too much smoke in the air, the background won't look good, and I'll be free. Until then, I'm working. Vincent and The Gorilla are over there," he said, pointing.

"Ah. Good luck, dude," she replied.

"Thanks," Adrien deadpanned.

"Are you up for this, Alya?" she asked the girl.

"Maybe? I'm nervous as heck. And I have to keep my left side to the camera, so they don't have to photoshop my beauty mark out," Alya said with a grimace.

"Ugh," Alix agreed. "That sucks. Good luck, sister."

"Don't say that word," Alya said with a glare.

"Sorry not sorry, but I didn't mean it that way," the skater replied.

"I know," the taller redhead agreed.

"See you later, Alix?" Adrien asked as she started to skate off.

"Sure after your shoot," she replied, then tried to find Rose and Juleka. She moved between the other couples as the fireworks started, actually starting to enjoy things despite the of course, that was when the akuma attacked.

She was pulling her camera out almost on reflex. She had gotten a decent mirrorless camera (because it was smaller than a regular DSLR) and had gotten a few decent pics for the Ladyblog, and was steadily improving her skill with it. She saw Aurore and Nino racing forward, pulling their gear out, and grinned. Team Ladyblog was on the case. She looked around for Alya, Adrien, Marinette, and Chloé; Chloé and Marinette were gone. Adrien was being dragged away by The Gorilla. Alya, on the other hand, had been caught by the akuma…who was apparently _Alya's sister_ , from what she could hear being shouted. Totally not awesome. That put Team Miraculous down a person, possibly two. Against an akuma that looked strong, and mean, and motivated to keep people safe, for her definition of safe. Greaaaaaat.

For the next twenty minutes, Alix followed the battlefield. They moved down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées until they reached the Arc de Triomphe; the akuma spun a giant web under the arch, and threw her sister into it, then faced off against Ladybug, Queen Bee, and the newly arrived Chat Noir. The battle looked to be going well, and Queen Bee activated her flight ability, and Alix thought she was going to make it to Alya to rescue her, but the akuma, Anansi, pinned her to the wall with more webbing.

Alix cursed. Bee – Chloé – had five minutes until she reverted, and her identity was revealed. That was the kind of thing that she and the rest of her friends tried to prevent. Alix cursed again, dropped her camera into her bag, and pulled out a folding knife. She kept it folded as she skated around the the circular road surrounding the Arc. She dashed in, right at Queen Bee, and flicked out her knife. She started slicing at the webbing.

"What are you doing, girl," Queen Bee asked her, twisting.

"I'm from the Ladyblog. I know you only have four minutes left before you change back. I'm cutting you free," she replied.

"I'll be fine," Bee told her, even though the look on her face said she wasn't sure of it at all. She kept trying to break free of the webs. "You need to get out of here before you get hurt."

Alix kept hacking at the webbing. "If you change back, you won't be any more protected than me. Besides, there's always the Miraculous cure."

"Saving lives always has a higher price than just repairing the city," Bee said somberly.

"So shut up and let me cut you out," the skater snarled.

"Ladybug will…"

"Your girlfriend is getting her ass kicked right now, Bee, she needs your help, so I'm getting you free. Now shut up before you draw the akuma's attention," Alix told her.

"You need to…"

Alix leaned in very, very close to Queen Bee. "I swear to god, Chloé, if you don't shut the fuck up and hold still I will kick your pretty fucking face in." She was met with silence; the heroine was too stunned to even sputter a denial. "Yes, I know. Yes, I've known for a while. No, I won't tell anyone. Now, _shut the fuck up and let me do what I need to do_." With Bee holding absolutely still, Alix was able to flick the knife deep into the webbing and slice straight up. A moment later, the heroine pushed away from the wall, the webbing tearing away. Queen Bee stared at the skater girl for a moment. " _Go fucking change,_ and get back here as soon as you can," she said. Queen Bee nodded, a look of determination on her face, and she was gone. Alix watched her go, and then cursed as she dashed away from where Chloé had been bound. She pulled out her phone and dialed Aurore. She heard the girl answer, and thanked god she always wore her headset when they were out and about.

"Yes, Alix? I'm kind of busy," the blonde reporter said.

"Iiiiiiiiiiii just fucked up," Alix said.

"What did you do, Alix?" She could hear the sigh in Aurore's voice.

"Queen Bee was stuck against the wall, her timer was counting down, and Ladybug was getting her ass handed to her. Is still getting her ass handed to her," Alix amended.

" _What did you do, Alix_ ," she heard again.

"I told Chloé to shut the fuck up and hold still."

Silence reigned for a moment. "I'm sure I just misheard you," Aurore finally said.

"No, I didn't. Don't say anything in reply, I know you're taping. I said 'I swear to god, Chloé, if you don't shut up I will…well yeah, I threatened her, but the point is, I fucked up. She knows I know," the short redhead replied.

"Well, shit," the blonde replied, and Alix could hear Nino's 'what' in the background. She could assume that Aurore was shaking her head. "We can talk afterwards, Alix. You idiot."

"I know, I know, 'Thanks for nothing, you stupid reptile'," Alix quoted.

"Pretty much. Bye."

"Bye." Alix thumbed the switch on her earbud and heard the call disconnect. "Shit, shit, shit." Not knowing what else to do, she pulled out her camera and started taking pictures again. She was completely focused on the battle, and with trying to avoid catching Anansi's eye, that she almost collided with Queen Bee when she dropped to the ground right in front of her. Alix skidded to a stop. "Damn it, Bee, you scared the shit out of me! Fuck!"

The golden heroine looked at Alix for a good, long moment, then dragged her down the steps to the underground, and turned to her. "We had been talking about the turtle Miraculous, but I think you would agree that a turtle doesn't really suit you. Then I was thinking dog, because you can really be a bitch. But you're fiery and volatile and strong, so this suits you best." She held out a necklace, and dropped it in Alix's numb hand. Alix was shaking. She had no idea what was going on, she couldn't be… "Put the damn thing on, Alix Kubdel. We don't have time for you to hem and haw."

"Oh, holy fuck," Alix said reverently. She took the thong necklace and put it around her neck. As soon as she fastened the clasp, there was a flash of light. A small, floating…something appeared before her face. It looked like a superdeformed dragon. Not that she would admit that she knew what superdeformed was. The dragon thing looked her up and down.

"She'll do," the dragon thing said in a surprisingly deep voice. "If you do well, I may grace you with the knowledge of my name. You can call upon the power of my flames with the cry of 'Conflagration'."

"Damn. Can it be something simpler? Like Inferno?" Alix asked.

"No, it cannot," the dragon thing replied.

"Damn it, okay. What do I do?"

"Tell him, transform me," Bee replied.

Alix swallowed. "Okay then." She took a deep breath. "Transform me!"

She changed. And it was amazing.

LFC LFC LFC

Ladybug almost cheered when Queen Bee returned. "What took you so long?"

"I, uh, went to get us some help," Bee told her.

"Help?" Ladybug said quizzically.

"I came up with another solution," the blonde replied.

Before the scarlet heroine could ask what Bee meant, a red-bronze form seemed to drop out of the sky, slamming into Anansi's back. The akuma had not anticipated such an attack, as Rena Rouge, she knew from Papillion, was more likely to use illusions and trickery than direct action. She landed on her face and slid clear out to the street.

"Who. The Hell. Is That," Chat Noir said.

"What he said," Ladybug agreed, even as she and Chat moved to surround Anansi in a triangular formation.

"I'm the new girl," the short form said. Her costume was a metallic bronze, and she carried a staff. As she stood there, though, the staff separated into three sections, becoming a three-section nunchaku.

"Ooo, a sanjiegun," Chat Noir said. "Can you use that thing?"

"Maybe," she replied. "You lead, I'll follow."

"Got it," Ladybug replied. With some kind of unseen coordination, the three heroes all dashed in on Anansi at once. That was New Girl's chance.

"Conflagration!" She cried. Her weapon burst into flame, and then she turned and jumped high, whipping her weapon around, burning through one side of the webbing as she rose, and then the other side as she fell. Alya cried out, but the new girl dropped her weapon and caught Alya, cradling her as she landed. Her knees screamed, but didn't buckle.

"Thanks," Alya told her.

"Shut up and go transform," the dragon heroine said in a whisper as she leaned in on the Ladyblogger. Her boss. Good god, it was giving her a headache. What the hell was she doing? "Yes I know. No, I won't tell anyone. Now hurry the fuck up before the spider bitch notices I cut you down."

"That's my sister," Alya said, but she was already running.

"Don't really fucking care at the moment," the new girl replied.

Alya almost stumbled. "You _have_ to be Alix," she muttered.

"O'course. Bee picked me," she added.

"Of course." They ran down into the underground and down into an empty hall. "Trixx, Transform me!" Alya said, and after a sparkly light show, she was now Rena Rouge. "We are having a talk later, just so you are aware."

"Oh, I know," she grimaced. "Now go, I'm counting down."

"What does your Kwami eat?"

"Is that what he's called? He hasn't even decided if I'm worthy to know his _name._ " the dragon girl said bitterly.

"Oh my god, he's perfect for you," Rena said with a grin. Then she was gone.

The new girl muttered 'transform me," and then she was just Alix again. She stumbled with the sudden emptiness she felt, and then looked around, spotting the…Kwami? "Sorry I didn't do more, but I don't know enough, yet."

"You are wise to know your limitations, girl," the dragon Kwami replied. "You may do. You may call me Tatsuu. I am partial to smoked or dried meats."

"Thank you, Tatsuu," Alix said. The little dragon Kwami dove into her bag, and Alix walked out of the station, tired beyond all reason. By the time she made it back up to the street, it was all over but the Miraculous cure. She felt the energy wash over her, and she felt…cleaner, if nothing else. No more sweat, anyway. She sat down on a bench and waited. Ten minutes later, Chloé appeared.

"Not bad," she said as she sat down. "A little unorthodox, but very strategic. You're not as dumb as you pretend to be. I'm impressed. I think I chose pretty well, all things considered."

Alix shrugged. "It was kinda fun." She started to undo the necklace, but Chloé shook her head. "Keep it on until we all can talk. I assume you know everything?"

"Duh. I've been working to help keep the secret," she said.

"Who else knows?" the blonde asked.

"Nino and Aurore, obviously," Alix said.

"Anyone else?"

Alix said nothing.

"Very, very good, Alix," Chloé murmured. "I definitely think you'll do. We have to wait and see what the boss thinks."

Alix knew exactly what that meant. She heard rapidly approaching steps, and saw Marinette running up. She pounced on Chloé, giving her a kiss. Alix realized that she was giving herself a cover for why she was running, and she approved again of just how sneaky Team Miraculous would be. Marinette didn't turn, but Alix heard her say, "Chloé's suite, tomorrow at noon."

"Okay," the skater replied. What else could she do? Marinette stood and pulled Chloé to her feet. As Chloé came upright, she handed Alix a folded piece of paper. It was sealed with a fucking wax seal. When did Chloé have the time? She smiled, then took Marinette's hand and walked away. In the sky, the last few fireworks went off, the duds from the main show that needed to be launched to render the launch site safe. Alix grinned at the sight. Then she broke the seal. There were only a few lines.

 _Dear Alix,_

 _Thank you for_ all _your help. We appreciate it more than you can know._

 _Welcome to our circle._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Chloé_

Alix smiled a soft smile. That was worth more than anything to her. She had started the night feeling alone, and a bit depressed. Now, she felt a part of something so much bigger than herself. She looked in on the Kwami in her bag, who seemed to be sleeping. She wondered where she could find some smoked meat. And she was starving. She saw Aurore and Nino running over to her now, and she waved. Their eyes were wide, and she realized that they had seen her talking to Chloé and Marinette. She grinned at them. "You are not going to _believe_ the night I had."

LFC LFC LFC

 **So ends _Letters From Chloé_. The next story will shift slightly in style, but not much. Marinette and Chloé are solid now, and while Chloé will still write letters to Marinette, and silly little things from the letters will pop up from time to time, I don't need them as a storytelling artifice anymore.**

 **I was unsure of giving Alix a new Kwami, but I didn't think that Wayzz fit her as a character, so I made that decision. I wasn't even sure I was going to do it until I did it. I wasn't sure she was going to admit to Chloé that she knew her til she did. That's the sort of story that I love, where the characters write themselves.**

 **I love Alix as a character. She's a bit coarser in this, obviously, but she's in your face, and she's fun. I have no idea where any of this is going. Well, that's not quite true. There will be some very bad things happening in the next story, but that _also_ didn't fit the _Letters_ format very well. So.**

 **I love all these characters, and my versions of them. Aurore is great, Nino is developing well, I absolutely adore Rose. Rose and Juleka truly are my OTP. Matchmaker Sabrina and her willing sidekick Alya were great. I need more Adrien in the story. The characters will keep growing.**

 **Crossposted from my AO3**


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